I first read The Alchemist when I was 12 years old, and completely fell in love with the story. My mother's friend had read it, and in turn let her borrow it, then I snatched it and never let go. I don't have that original, but I have my own copy in English, that I've had for just about that long. I LOVE the story of Santiago finding his Personal Legend and I have constantly thought of it. Even at only 12 years of age, I understood when Paulo Coelho wrote that if you're in search of your Personal Legend, the universe conspires so that you can find it. I have loved and believed in that thought ever since I read that book. I'm so grateful for being in tune with myself enough, even at that young age, to always turn back to that idea to pull strength from. So with that I will write for the record a bit of what has been happening lately. In the last couple of months, I have met a person who shall stay anonymous for now. That person needed a sign to be where they are, and I was in need of a good, caring person to help me fill a vacancy. As I searched for someone, this person was the first one volunteer. Many others also did, but this person from the get-go was strong in its desire to help. Eventually I met this new friend in person, and spent 3 hours sharing thoughts and experiences together on our first meeting. During this meeting, this new friend shared with me his generosity, knowledge and love for challenges and life. It was an amazing experience to meet someone that I felt was so much like me: enthusiastic, passionate, and driven to achieve whatever they set their mind to do.
In the course of those three hours, we talked a lot about what is going on in the world, and shared some the same thoughts on how to try and make a difference for someone or a group of people. As I was about to leave my new friend gave me a couple of books, one of them by someone they told me I had to meet. I thanked my new friend, and said: "You know, everything happens for a reason! Thanks again for the great conversation and for the motivation to continue to my path to my Personal Legend."
So I started reading Aspire, by Kevin Hall. Imagine my surprise when in the first few pages of his book, Kevin wrote about his good friend Brazilian Author Paulo Coelho. Kevin quotes Paulo saying "I guess it is true that people always arrive at the right moment at the place where someone awaits them." I have since then, talked on the phone with Kevin Hall via my new friend. I have also been able to rekindle a relationship with a professor who was my idol in college, and still is. I was able to meet with her after a decade and she is yet another one of these people put in my path to my Personal Legend. I feel humbled and grateful for these people who are popping out of the wood works to help, inspire and motivate me when the going gets tough and when I need to tap into their knowledge bank.
Over the last few years, I have struggled so hard to find my Personal Legend. It has been a difficult journey, one with many obstacles and distractions. I believe I have finally found it, because doors have opened and distractions have gone away. It's funny, but just last night I watched Kung Fu Panda 2 with my family was reminded once again of the theme of inner peace. I really don't think you can do anything without first at least aspiring to achieve inner peace. You think of all the crazy things we and people we know do, say or pretend to do or say in order to fake having inner peace. I've had to build a bomb shelter around myself in the last few years in order to achieve inner peace. I feel like I have broken through, but I haven't been tested yet, to really know if I could withstand experiences or interactions that could eventually block my path of inner peace. As Master Shifu said in the movie last night: "Dragon Warrior: You can do anything if you have inner peace!" So that's where I find myself. Now I'm trying to take down all bits of the walls that protected me while I got to that point. Now comes the first test, take down the walls a bit to see if my inner peace is truly real. If it is, I will be able to accomplish my Personal Legend. Now only time will tell...
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