The Alchemist

I finally finished reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Before I went to Spain for the second time, I met a Spanish guy named Pedro who was studying abroad at The University of Alabama and who was sponsored by the same school in Spain where I was planning to study. At that time, my trip was still in the planning/hoping stage. I was applying for every scholarship I could get my hands on, doing everything I could to make my desperate hope a reality.

I would always excitedly talk to Pedro about how much I loved Spain and how I really wanted to go back and on and on and on, and he would refer to this book called The Alchemist in reassuring me that my hopes would become a reality. He quoted the book saying, "When you really want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." I thought that was a nice idea, if not a little New Age sounding, but I resolved it was just another way of saying " Ask, and it shall be given unto you. Seek and ye shall find. Knock, and the door will open unto you," Eventually, I hung out with Pedro on the other side of the ocean when my hopes did become a reality, and it proved his Alchemist point, lol, and I always wanted to actually read the thing myself so I could understand what this universe conspiring stuff was all about.

The Alchemist came back to me when I saw it the other day while browsing around Books-a-Million. It was on sale and I have a Books-a-Million discount card, so I said, what the hey. I read the back and the inside flap and found that it was like this internationally bestselling phenomenon and all of this. Upon reading it, I found that it was like a fairy tale, an extended parable of sorts. Have you ever read the original Pinocchio or The Little Prince? It reminded me of that. The premise and the writing were pretty uncomplicated, so I wasn't blown away by its exquisiteness. The allure, really, lies within its simplicity and its positive message about following your dreams. I also liked the way the author used Biblical allusions in a fresh and interesting way. I guess I'm just sort of charmed with it right now because the main character goes on this journey to realize his "Personal Legend," and though some of the terminology was kind of corny; Personal Legend, Soul of the World, and all of that, it made me think about myself in a way. A young person who eschews the ordinary and who wants to fulfill her life's destiny. Whatever it is. I know that sounds kind of corny too, but, emotional nerd that I am, that's the kind of stuff that gives me the warm fuzzies.

(sigh) I love to read.