The Book That Left An Indelible Impact On My Life

By -

Guest Post By Shivani Pandey


A year ago I chanced upon the magnum opus of my favorite author Paulo Coelho. Certainly, some accidents are blessings in disguise. It was a period of emotional turmoil both in my personal life and my educational sphere. I thought a novel would be a good refreshment but little did I know that this would have an effect on my mind and soul that would last for a lifetime. 

 The novel speaks about a lad who despite being a scholar wishes to travel the world. He embarks upon a journey as a shepherd unaware of the fact that this would be a life-altering one. He gathers the courage to follow a vague dream which often people like me disregard. He interprets the dream as the language of God- the way God communicates with his creations. He believes that to seek one's destiny, one needs to hear the signals that He sends. I personally have started paying heed to the omens that the universe sends- good or bad- and things have changed for the better. 

 The scholar turned shepherd encounters various problems on the path towards his destiny. The worst one being trusting a thief and giving away all his savings but this somewhere has a great impact on his journey from being nothing to achieving everything. This incident taught me that it has to get to the worst before the best can arrive. And when going gets tough, look closely, the creator is trying to teach you something. Look closely- all your solutions are just in your vicinity. 

 From there on begins the real journey of being an alchemist, on understanding the meaning of alchemy- penetrating to the soul of the world and discovering the treasure that has been reserved for him and only him. I learned my lesson that whoever you are, whatever you do; when you really want something it's because a desire has originated in the soul of the universe to achieve. It is then your mission on the face of the earth to achieve everything that you have ever dreamt of.

 The ultimate lesson that this book taught me was if you really want it the universe will conspire for you to have it. Omens are already there in your surroundings- you just need to listen. What's meant to be will always find its way. The shepherd was to be the owner of the treasure or else he wouldn’t have met the alchemist. He wouldn’t have learned the ways of life; wouldn’t have learned the art of converting himself into the wind. Don’t give up just before the dawn of accomplishment. The brightest sun shines after the darkest of night. 

 The most important lesson learned after which most of the people have turned Ghalib and Shayars is the lesson of love. Mr. Coelho in a very lucid language defines love- love never keeps away a man from pursuing his destiny. If he abandons that pursuit it's only because that wasn’t true love- the love that speaks the laws of the world. True love is the one that motivates you to achieve your goals, live your dreams along with your loved ones. The greatest and the most important lesson ever learned is that you are born with a purpose on this face of the earth. With a spoon full of oil you are allowed to gaze upon the wonders of life without letting the oil spill. And happily-ever-afters do exist.

 THIS POST IS WRITTEN FOR NOVEMBERSCHILD IN ASSOCIATION WITH KALAMPEDIA – QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE”.

Comments

  1. J Lenni DornerSeptember 1, 2018 at 9:35 AM

    Huh. I haven't read this book before. Added it to my wishlist though. Sounds interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AgnivoSeptember 3, 2018 at 5:00 PM

    I have tried reading Paulo Coelho many times but never seemed to like his works :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. Siddhartha MishraSeptember 3, 2018 at 7:45 PM

    It is book which gives meaning to our life. prayers

    ReplyDelete
  4. Novemberschild (Romila)September 3, 2018 at 7:46 PM

    Following the dream- This belief is a marvellous one, a support for anyone embarking on an important project. But is it a hope based on nothing? If you think about the energy you put into something once you are committed to it, probably not. The ‘universe conspiring’ to give you what you want is, more precisely, a reflection of your determination to make something happen.
    The Alchemist does not get away from the fact that dreams have a price but, as Coelho has said in interviews, not living your dreams also has a price. For the same money, he said, you can either buy a horrible jacket that does not fit or one that suits you and looks right. It is better to have problems that make sense because they are part of what you are trying to achieve. Thank you for your post and making it a part of my blog's birthday celebration. Best wishes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. DeepaSeptember 3, 2018 at 11:47 PM

    Paulo Coelho's books and quotes are inspirational and this story is one too. My takeaway from this post is that whatever you want, the universe conspires you to get it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. ChandreshSeptember 11, 2018 at 11:17 AM

    Haha , The epic dialogue " the universe will conspire for you to have it." .. An excellent take on life #myfriendalexa #fotwreads

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownSeptember 11, 2018 at 9:37 PM

    This is one of the must read book for everyone, and there is something for everybody. Learning the lessons of life. The very idea of venturing into an adventurous journey and believing on one's dream, connecting with the universe and learning the language that the universe understand. Alchemist, the meaning of alchemy and how one can get the gold after extracting the impurities from the pure form of metal...the heat and the process for purification.

    Each one of us has a purpose only we don't know that and many times it takes years to just discover that purpose and everything falls in place. But it needs the patient and perseverance to get there...the language in the book is so simple and there is such a beautiful flow that one gets magnetically engrossed in the magic of the book.
    :D

    ReplyDelete
  8. Srishti RajeevSeptember 11, 2018 at 11:36 PM

    Awesome book... lessons learnt are a many...The book helps you believe in your current situation and that you are there for a reason

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

By -
Image
  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju
9 comments

Popular posts from this blog

Empress Ki : A story of an epic scale

By -
Image
Empress Ki Poster (behance.net) Empress Ki is the most elaborate, gripping, and thrilling series I have watched this year. And at 51 episodes , it is the longest Korean drama series I have ever watched. Even though the number seems daunting and too much, it’s worth it all. If you like period dramas, you won’t want to give this one a miss. It was in 2016 that I first read about Empress Ki, the historical drama that had garnered much praise and accolades from the audience and critics alike. Most Korean dramas are just 16 or 20 episodes long. So 51 seemed never-ending to me then. It wasn’t until 2017 that I decided to at least try the first episode. And I was hooked. But owing to the various circumstances I didn’t continue watching it. It was just last month that I remembered this epic story and watched it to completion within just a few days. Believe it or not, midway through it, I was almost literally pulling my hair out, in anticipation of what would happen next. I wou
Read more

E[x]ploring Odia Literature Through 'Punyatoya'

By -
Image
Odia is my mother tongue but I had never really focussed on Odia novels, given that I love reading. Of late I realised that I should explore the culture and language of my native land, and see for myself whether it suits my reading sensibilities. I read “Jagyaseni” by Pratibha Ray a few years back, over a span of several months. It is a retelling of Mahabharata from Draupadi’s perspective, which brings about her inner turmoils, confusions, decisions, desires and dreams, really well. It was the first Odia novel I ever read. Three days back, I completed reading my second novel in Odia, coincidentally it is by the same author. “Punyatoya” - literally it means the river, or ‘as pure as the river’. It is also the name of a revered river in Indian mythology. The book has been translated into Hindi with the same title, with the tagline “the story of a village girl Meghi”. Other translated versions are in Marathi and Malayalam. The story follows a young girl named Barsha,
Read more

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

By -
Image
I had expected to be bored thinking it to be some over-the-top comedy and quit watching this midway. I had not expected to be sucked into their lives, in upstate Manhattan, and feel their life change over the ten seasons so personally. Ten years in the lives of these characters. And this attachment to that apartment. I had not expected that this sitcom that had been airing globally for ten long years, to not at all be ‘over-hyped’. I wish I had set aside my judgement and for once watched this during my college days. It would have been such a cherished experience. It would have validated all the emotions of those days. Watching the six friends’ personal trajectory from Season 1 to 10, over the ten years, through ten Thanksgivings and Christmases and Hanukah, was such a pleasure. I never knew I could enjoy comedy, and in comes Chandler. I remember how in the first few episodes, I couldn’t even remember their names, and now they feel as real and relatable as any other person. We all h
Read more

When Breathe Becomes Air

By -
Image
It was towards the end of the book that I realized that this is almost an unfinished manuscript. But still it feels complete in itself. I was constantly wondering throughout why this book is so short. He is an amazing writer and you know that when you hear his thoughts while reading the book - his narrative - his writing style just reveal his love for poetry, literature, philosophy and spirituality. It was striking that he had persistently wondered about death- the meaning of life- its purpose throughout his growing up years, even while choosing a career. And even after he was first diagnosed with lung cancer, he did the same.   "Literature not only illuminated another's experience, it provided, I believed, the richest material for moral reflection." - on the love for literature.   Paul draws the difference between a job and a calling, something you are meant to do for the world in the limited span of your mortal life, in the first few chapters as a Doctor, before h
Read more

Latest Binge - Emily in Paris

By -
Image
  There is a certain allure to a foreign land, a foreign culture, a different language, unchartered territories and a promise of romantic adventure. The latest offering from Netflix ‘Emily in Paris’ gives us all of these and more. It is all of 10 episodes of 25 or so minutes each, and is worth a binge-watch. It’s about a social media content strategist, Emily Cooper, played by Lily Collins, who moves to Paris from Chicago to work for a marketing firm, a big career opportunity, dreaming of a wonderful life. It’s about her adventures both in career and romantic front, as she learns French, making hilarious mistakes and feeding her Instagram with all-things-Paris. We watch the beauty of Paris in its culture of life-first-work-second, all things luxurious- from fashion to perfume to wine, the spiraling staircase of a hundred-year old building where Emily stays, the ornate architecture, the old-world charm mingling effortlessly with the new, the elaborate office dinners, the picturesque w
Read more

The Hyderabad Playlist – A song story

By -
Image
It is human nature to dwell in the past, worry about the future and forget all about the present. I still miss the days spent in Hyderabad. I miss the study schedules, eating out, street shopping, and the city tours. I miss the roads, the townships and the metros. But I clearly remember that I just wanted the days to pass quickly so that I could return home, while I was there. And today I miss the view from the terrace of the ladies hostel we stayed in, the floral decorations with chalk, colors and flowers, the flower market, the abundance of curd during lunch hours, the constant ‘amma’ recitals by our wardens and so much more. One of the highlights of the hostel life in Hyderabad at Sri Kamali was queuing up for tea, puri and dosa during breakfast time, and then hurrying to secure a chair the very next moment. And conversations and complaints flowed unhindered during these hours in many languages at once- the most prominent ones being Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and
Read more

July : A Month of Massive Changes #MondayMusings

By -
Image
View from the terrace of my hostel (No Filter used in any image in this post) July has been a special month for me. Not just because it is my birthday month, but because many new beginnings, many fresh starts, and many turning points of my life have happened in July. It's mid of the year when I have looked back at what the year was like for the first six months and have anticipated and dreamt about the coming six months. Goals and resolutions are reviewed in July. Forest Research Institute, Dehradun These initial days of college are all about fun, making interactions, creating friendships and increasing your network. It's less on course works and assignments. So we are trying to take full advantage of it. I have made a few friends at the hostel too, most of them are my juniors, with a huge age gap. But the good news is none of us can feel this gap. We visited the Forest Research Institute this weekend. It was a good trip. I stopped at almost every tree to take
Read more