The Alchemist

One of my favorite books is The Alchemist.  For years, my mum told me to read this book.  She said that I would really love it.  I kindly took her advice, but I decided not to read it.  I don't know why, but obviously it was not the right time.  Up until a year ago, my life had been relatively easy.  God had laid out everything for me and I was really comfortable and happy with where I was.  However, as mentioned in my previous post, I felt "drawn" to LA.   I could not ignore this calling and I felt like God really began to point me in the direction of Los Angeles.  This was unsettling to me because it meant that I would have to leave my home, loved ones, and friends for a new place.  I began to question God's plan for me.  LA always seemed like such a great idea when I was laying in my bed at the age of 15, dreaming of pursuing a career in music.  Now that a huge change in my life was imminent, I began to panic.  

It was during this time that my close friend and band mate told me to read this book.  He said that it would really help me during this period of uncertainty in my life.  Well, I read The Alchemist during my semester as a student teacher.  I have never felt so inspired.  This book speaks so much truth and really offers insight into what it means to follow your dreams.  The main character, Santiago, is a shepherd who makes a decent living doing the same thing everyday.  His life is predictable and he is content with that.  One night he dreams about hidden treasure in the Egyptian pyramids.  The rest of the story is about his pursuit of that treasure and what it means to discover what God has in store for a person.  Santiago meets many challenges along the way, but he grows so much because of the journey.  He becomes a better person because he is in pursuit of his "Personal Legend."

I don't want to spoil the story, but it is well worth reading.  This book is for anyone who is uncertain about their future (which based on the state of the economy, seems to be a lot of people).  The Alchemist reminded me that God has a plan for everybody.  All we have to do, as followers, is to follow God.  He will make our path straight.  Once I yielded to Him, I felt true peace in my decision to move away.

For the longest time, I thought about staying in Texas and becoming a band director, but I realized that I would be letting go of my dreams if I did this.

 
"Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, indeed, to be a threatening place."

"All people who are happy have God within them."

"Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. You've got to find the treasure, so that everything you have learned along the way can make sense."

"Forget about the future, and live each day according to the teachings, confident that God loves his children."