The Alchemist

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity. “Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
I recently read “The Alchemist” again after procrastinating for a long time. I read it at a perfect time. The book is lovely and an inspirational masterpiece. Written by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho in 1988. It was initially written and published in Portuguese. It is an international bestseller and has been translated to more than 70 languages. The book is relatively short having around 167 pages only. The theme is about finding one’s destiny or purpose in life.
The story is about a Shepherd boy from Spain whose name is Santiago. He keeps getting the same dream about treasures that are lying in the Pyramids of Egypt. He embarks on a journey to follow his dream after meeting an old king who offers him magic stones and advice. Santiago crosses the Mediterranean and Sahara to find his treasures in Egypt and also accomplish his personal legend which is his purpose in life. The book details his journey and the various encounters that he experiences when following his dream. Throughout the journey, Santiago meets many new people and a lot of difficulty which ultimately helps him to learn and grow the entire way. Does he find the treasures in the Pyramids of Egypt?
The story is very enchanting and bursts with optimism which I think is very important in our lives. The book shows that the journey to your destiny is as important as the destiny itself. I love how the book emphasizes on the importance of faith, hope and spirituality through the story of an ordinary boy. I think this book appeals to everyone because we all have dreams and sometimes, we just want someone to tell us that they may come true.
“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”
Highly recommended 🙌
Happy reading!