By: Abeeha Shahid
Originally written in Portuguese, “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho, quickly became an international bestseller with translations in over 70 languages. It’s a relatively short book, with profound emotions and life lessons captured dazzlingly, bursting with hope and optimism that isn’t forced, but more gentle and comforting.
The story is about an Andalusian shepherd boy, Santiago, who has recurring dreams of a great treasure hidden thousands of miles away at the base of the Egyptian Pyramids. Troubled, Santiago consults a gypsy woman to interpret his dream and to his surprise she tells him to go to Egypt. The same advice is echoed by a strange, magical old man who claims to be the king of Salem, named Melchizedek. Thus, he sells his sheep and embarks on an arduous journey that takes him across the Mediterranean and Sahara to Egypt, in search of his treasures and to fulfill his destiny, or “personal legend” as it's referred to in the book.
Santiago’s expedition, from the flourishing meadows of southern Spain to a desert oasis, and finally the great pyramids of Egypt, takes him on a path of self-growth and realizations that help him view the world from a different perspective. He comes across many new people who play a conspicuous role in the way he proceeds forward on his trek. The gypsy woman who encourages him to follow his dreams as it is the “language of the world”. The king with no kingdom who makes him discern his legend. A dream that your soul insists that you make real and won’t allow you peace until you do. A crystal merchant who will sadly never realize his personal legend and therefore, pushes Santiago to pursue his. An Englishman so lost in his books he will never discover his soul's true dreams. And finally the Alchemist himself who helps Santiago discover the Soul of The World.
The book is captivating in a manner that the words make us believe what we wish for is not outside the range of possibility, that all we need to do is start somewhere and the universe itself will conspire to help you succeed. A reassurance for people who are terrified by the vulnerability of their dreams because if you trust that the universe is on your side, not against you, it makes taking the dreaded first step easier.
It's a book that teaches us to love each day and not let it become the same as the last through the story of an ordinary boy who sets out with nothing but faith in his dream and advice from an old man. The uncertainties and doubts fall like a shadow on every opportunity making the destination seem bleak and blurry and it’s important in those times to not let the monotony of life get to us by viewing every sunrise as a new beginning, a new opportunity and a new adventure.
“You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It's just a matter of paying attention to this miracle”
It is crucial to understand that while it's important to work hard, it’s not always wise to be so invested in the future that you forget to live in the present. The alchemist advises us to find a balance in life that allows us to strive for our cause, but to never become so blindsided in our struggle, that it slowly transforms from being a passion to a chore.
It talks about the innocence of childhood and how easy it was to dream to hope;
“At that point in their lives, everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their personal legend.”
The quote makes you wonder, what the unknown force is that convinces you that what you aspire for is impossible? What is it that makes your dreams that you were once so certain about feel so far away? According to Coelho it’s the people around you and the society that refuses to accept anyone who denies the rules and stereotypes that they believe should govern everyone's life choices. It's these people who forget to live their own life too focused on dictating others.
“If someone isn’t what the 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.”
However, it’s not just that, but also the limitations we set out for ourselves, and our doubts that manifest in the form of restraints holding us back.
“People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that they don’t deserve them.”
And while a recurring theme in the book is following your dreams, Coelho writes about how it’s not always going to be easy, about how there will be difficulties or obstacles that try to hold us back and give up. He expresses it through Santiago’s doubts and struggles. During a particular time where he feels like his life is once again stuck in the same loop, he considers giving up and making his peace with all he has achieved till now. Yet he remains resilient and manages to find a way to continue moving forward.
When you talk about, The Alchemist, romance is not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, interwoven with Santiago’s journey is his indecisiveness about what to prioritize between his dreams and love for a woman named Fatima, that he meets in a desert oasis. He is ready to give up on his dream but then the Alchemist he finds in the desert, tells him that the love would only be real if she is willing to support his search for the treasure he seeks and implies that in a healthy relationship no one has to compromise their individual identity.
The Alchemist, a book that lets you escape reality while helping you understand it better, is full of motivation and encouragement and a beautifully crafted reminder that whenever you hit a dead-end or are exhausted and want to give up, take a break and let yourself breathe but never give up.
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