the alchemist

I have been meaning to take some time and read this book. It wasn't until last night that I finally got around to it. I started and finished in one night (granted it's only like 170 pages).

"The Alchemist is subtitled 'A Fable About Following Your Dreams.' Fables are cautionary tales that have a point to make. The universal point this story makes is that everyone has a special destiny, and yet not everyone resolves to attain it because it takes hard work. Reaching one's destiny requires leaving behind familiar surroundings. It also demands persistence, the ability to change when appropriate and the willingness to respond to omens that point the way."

My conclusion: loved it. It is packed full with nuggets of wisdom.

Here are some of my favorite excerpts:

"When someone sees the same people every day, as had happened with him at the seminary, they wind up becoming a part of that person's life. And then they want the person to change. If someone isn't what others want them to be, the others become angry. Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own."

"People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don't deserve them, or that they'll be unable to achieve them."

"Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself."

"Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, indeed, to be a threatening place."

Get your hands on a copy of this and read it. You won't regret it.