The Alchemist’ is a book written by Paulo Coelho. I had purchased it quite a while back as the name sounded catchy at that time, though I never got around to reading it – till now. What made me loose interest was the fact that it talks about realizing dreams and dreaming on. In my 20 so years of life I have heard enough about it.

If I pick up a book these days it is more to make me forget about the world and enter a new one. I avoid anything that keeps me wondering about my life and my unrealized dreams. I guess, I have become lazy compared to the days when I used to seek out such books to understand the meaning of life. Not that I figured out the meaning of life and need to know no more. But to dream, interpret my dreams and try to realize them is an ordeal I have been through earlier and been greatly disappointed.

A couple of days back, just out of sheer curiosity I picked up the book and got reading. The first phrase that hit me hard was “When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it.“. My first reaction was to deny it. I expected the book to tell me ‘the whole universe conspires against you so you don’t achieve what you want’. It told me to dream on. It told me to learn to read ‘Omens’ and what really good ‘Omens’ are. It told me about ‘beginners luck’ and how that favours every beginner. Furthermore, I was reminded that like every child I would already have set my destiny long ago. It drowned me in utter confusion for a day. I refused to touch the book.

Somewhere within I had started to think about all that the book told me. Though I am not too fond of the house lizards I stopped cribbing about them ever since I knew they are good omens. We joked about how the lizard listens to us talk and gives its own opinion. But just then I started trusting its wisdom. It even got me recollecting what it was that I would have wanted to do as a child. I couldn’t really remember much but I know it was something quite easy and simple. It would not have involved all this turmoil and stress.

There were so many things that I have wanted. Some that I have wanted really bad. Some that I have wanted momentarily and forgotten. If I think about it they did come true… most of them. Some took their own sweet time and some happened immediately. But I never thanked anyone when they happened. I just took them for granted, forgetting that it was a wish coming true. I had read somewhere long ago that wishes come true if you want them badly and all those times that I wished something and meant it they really did come true. One by one. I wont sit here and give an account of those…

That brings me back to the book. I am happy that ‘the alchemist’ had a will of its own and made me read it. The old King reminded me of all that I had once believed. I still have to live my dream and find my destiny. Am sure am on the right track ’cause am living what I always craved to do. I just need to start reading the omens again. Believe me if you must and start following your dreams or don’t believe me and forget this as a magical fable.