The Alchemist

Paolo Coelho's The Alchemist follows a young boy's journey to fulfilling his destiny, or as the author likes to refer to it as Personal Legend. Everything starts with a dream the boy has one night about a hidden treasure. Unable to shake it off, he begins the quest for the treasure, following the omens along the way. Little did he know that in his pursuit, he would stumble across as many surprises as obstacles and meet several unusual characters who would help him learn the meaning of life. The gypsy woman, the king of Salem, the crystal merchant, the Englishman, the girl at the oasis, and finally, the alchemist - all influence the boy's decisions. Hungry to learn more about the world, he separates his mind from conventional thinking and focuses on the Soul of the World, in which everything on Earth communicates through special language. The quietness and vastness of the desert teaches him to observe and appreciate all things people usually take for granted. If only we were aware of our surroundings more, everything would fall into place.

When the boy finally reaches his destination, he is happy thinking that he had found his treasure, only to learn that his treasure is not there at all, but back at his home town. Through his cleverly and magically crafted fable, Paolo wanted the readers to recognize their own dreams and pursue them. There will be many obstacles along the way but we will grow through each encounter and experience, and the reward will be far more pleasurable. Another point that Paolo makes is that sometimes we don't have to search far for our treasure at all, that it may lie right under our noses. Only by following our dreams will we ever fulfill our Personal Legend and be truly happy.

The book makes me think of what my own Personal Legend might be. There are many things I want out of life but to be truly happy I need only three - a way for me to express my thoughts creatively, travel the world and see all its wonders, and share all good moments with my family.