Blog #10 — The Alchemist
“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.”
Among the forms of entertainment I took with me to the jungle-clad beach town, Puerto Viejo, were the books I planned to read. I was going to be working with animals forty hours a week and be surrounded by nature 24/7; I may as well take a break from my electronics and utilize my free time reading physical copies of books that were sitting on my shelf, untouched. And so, among the small collection of books was one that, to me, was like a treasure; Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. Within this little book is a wealth of wisdom and perspectives that may seem basic in plain sight, but when told and expressed in this beautiful story, they’re lessons that are bound to stick with you for a lifetime.
In the story, Santiago is a shepherd who lives in a rundown church in Spain, where an old sycamore tree grows. For nights he receives recurring dreams of a boy telling him he must go to find his treasure in the Egyptian Pyramids. His dreams are the catalyst that drives him to begin a long journey to Egypt in search of this treasure. What struck me the most about this book is its beautiful imagery. Even when I was reading the lengthy chapters of Santiago journeying through the deserts, I enjoyed reading Santiago learn the Language of the World by listening to the sun, the wind, his horse, and many other elements and creatures of nature. This recurring theme of the connectedness of nature helped me further appreciate my time in the simple town of Puerto Viejo. Before my time in this special town, I never really liked the beach or the humidity that accompanies these hot climates. However, this book helped me overlook these factors and made me appreciate all the unique things I experienced, living amongst and in peace with nature. This book also helped me wind down on long and slightly stressful days at the Jaguar Rescue Center, and I remember forcing myself to put it down every one or two chapters so that I would be able to relish every word and scene in my mind.
The Alchemist is a book packed with symbolism. Santiago and the sheep he shepherds at the beginning of the story are representative of the humdrum and routine life he lives. It isn’t necessarily a wrong way of living, but it is not Santiago’s calling, as his dreams reveal to him that he has a different destiny — his ‘Personal Legend.’ His sheep are symbolic of how people live when they are unaware of their Personal Legend, which is living for basic needs, like food and water. In humans, this tendency of not living to their potential is like merely living for social acceptance and accumulation of wealth, which I saw in characters like the baker and the crystal merchant. Another significant symbol is alchemy. Alchemy is the practice of turning base metals into gold; for this to occur, the base metals must rid itself of all impurities. For Santiago to fulfill his Personal Legend, he must rid himself of his impurities, such as sacrificing his comfortable life as a shepherd by selling his sheep and release his desire to be accepted by his parents. Only then can he be ready to achieve a higher evolutionary state, which is fulfilling his Personal Legend, similar to becoming gold. The last significant symbol I could identify was the desert, which represents the trials and tribulations one has to overcome to achieve their destiny. These symbols are relevant to my gap year experience because when beginning my journey, I thought I was too impulsive in deciding to go on a gap year. My entire life, I have lived on the safer side, never straying from the paved, familiar paths to success. This habit was only compounded by my tendencies of perfectionism; I was always afraid of taking a misstep. However, after reflecting on this book’s meaning, I began to see my gap year as a once in a lifetime opportunity that, in the end, bore many different fruits. All I had to do was take that initial risk — the first step — to gain formerly unfathomable and valuable connections, experiences, and lessons.
My favorite quote is, “That night, the boy slept deeply, and, when he awoke, his heart began to tell him things that came from the Soul of the World. It said that all people who are happy have God within them. And that happiness could be found in a grain of sand from the desert, as the alchemist had said. Because a grain of sand is a moment of creation, and the universe has taken millions of years to create it.” This quote sums up how I have always felt true happiness is. Fulfillment, for me, has always manifested itself in the ‘little things;’ from the small pieces of sunshine that peek through my window in the morning, to the short prayers of thanksgiving I give to God every day for the clean water, fresh air, and my loved ones. Sometimes I’ll have days when it’s difficult to spot or to appreciate particular experiences and moments in my life, but at the end of the day, what keeps me going is reminding myself that there will be brighter days in the future. All I have to do is hold God’s hand and trust him as I walk through the desert.
Overall, this book made me more present and helped me appreciate my unique position in Costa Rica. I learned that when you do not take risks, you deny yourself the opportunity to gain and grow as a result. Moreover, I realized that I do not want to live the mundane life of a shepherd. Instead, like Santiago, I will continue to choose bravery to cross the desert that is life.
“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
