Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist

There are only a few books I have read more than once. An English book? never, till I picked up The Alchemist last week. I have read this book about three years back and still remember the essence of it. Even then, this second read was interesting and I found the way story unfold had a whole different meaning than the first time. I felt I understand the meaning and message of the book better now. May be a third read after another three years may give it a complete different colour...

'His books make me dream...' one critic has said. I will say, they help you understand and realise your dream too. The Alchemist is the most translated book by a living author. And you will not be surprised why once you finish it. ( Paulo Coelho is the most sold living author too ). The book talks about the importance of dream and moreover, the need to go for it. To make the life meaningful and complete. Never in the book I found it preachy. It was presented like a boy's expedition to realise his dream. If a boy can go that length to see his dream be true, why not the reader gets the courage and encouragement to go for his... 

When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it - this summarise the soul of the book. Nothing gave me the courage to move forward than this line. The hope. The faith. A promise that our quest can not go wrong. I thank Paulo Coelho for it.

One more thought that strike me was in the author's note. In which Coelho says about the four obstacles which keep us from realising our dream :

1) We are told from childhood onwards that everything we wanted to do is impossible.

2) Love. We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue our dream. 

3) Fear of defeat we will meet on the path, and 

4) The fear of realizing the dream for which we have been fighting all our lives.

He explains briefly about these obstacles in the book. And the fourth one was of particular interest, as just before the one last step to success, we tend to step back and let our dream go. How true. And I never noticed !!! It is something like we might lose the interest in living after our dream come true ! When we don't realise it will make the life better and meaningful.

In this book he says about the importance of listening to our heart. May sound silly, but it is a very powerful tool, if we know how to use it. In every step, it says us what is good and right. It helps us to understand the omens and talk to the Soul of the World. What a beautiful thought to see everything and everyone as a part of a greater soul...

I will definitely read this book again. And then, the meaning of it may be completely different. But I am sure that it will be only deep and clear. One must read this book. If not to have a new view to live, at least to remind himself about that he is missing and what he can be.

The lines I read again :::

If you start out by promising what you don't even have yet, you'll lose your desire to work toward getting it.

The closer one gets to realizing his destiny, the more that destiny becomes his true reason for being.