Finding a Treasure

This past summer, I read The Witch of Portobello, by Paulo Coelho.  On the cover, it said "from the best selling author of The Alchemist."  By chance, I found a 25 cent copy of this best seller at a thrift shop not too long afterwards.  However, I did not read it at the time because I started reading A Song of Ice and Fire.  

Yesterday I finally started reading The Alchemist.

Today I finished it at lunch time. 

What a WONDERFUL little story.

A shepherd starts out on a journey to fulfill his "Personal Legend" after a gypsy interprets a reoccurring dream.  Along the way, he learns to understand the Language of the World to interpret omens which lead him to his treasure. 

A few things I love about the book:

In the story, none of the characters are named, save one.  They are referred to as "the boy," "the englishman," and "the alchemist," etc.  Fatima is the only character who is named.  This makes her name very special and it makes her very special.

I could not choose any one phrase in the story that stood out from the others.  I don't say this because the whole story was unremarkable, I say this because each phrase was so beautiful and meaningful, that they should not be taken out of context.  However, I did choose ooone....

This story was written with a beautiful innocence and simplicity.  It is easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to love.  Open the book, open your mind and open your heart.

What is your Personal Legend?  What dream are you chasing?  What do you want but are afraid to go after?  What is holding you back? 

Remember:

"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it."

Love and Learn

I believe that when someone comes in to your life, it's because you are supposed to learn something from them. They come at just the right time and offer you just what you need.

After getting out of two relationships in a row that left me emotionally drained and damaged, I found someone who was good to me and appreciated me for who I was.  He was certainly not perfect- but I thought so.  I met him just when I needed someone to bring me back to life.  When he left, I thought that eventually he might come back after we both did some growing up.  But now I don't hope for that any more.  Him walking away was also what I needed.  When I was with him, I was able to hold on to my life at college and didn't need to fully immerse myself in my new life.  Since then, I've become a part of my new community and moved on to a new phase in my life.  

Every new place, every new job, every new group of friends is a new phase.  Sometimes a few people come along into the new phase, but there is no reason to mourn those who stay a part of the past.  Take pictures to remember the past and look back to appreciate what it was.  Keep in contact with friends (thank goodness for Facebook!) and visit if you can.

Learn what you can while friends are here and be thankful for them after they are gone.  Keep on loving and learning.  <3