Current Book & Quotes From: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Secret to Happiness
In the book, Santiago (the shepherd boy and our main character) meets with the King of Salem as he begins his quest for his personal legend. The King of Salem provides many insights and words of wisdom for Santiago before he departs. One of the stories he shares with Santiago is the story of the boy who wanted to learn the secret of happiness from the wisest man in the world.
The story begins with the boy's father sending him to the desert for forty days in search of the wise man. After finally reaching the castle, the boy waits for two hours before he finally got his turn to meet the wise man. The boy told the wise man why he was there and then the wise man told the boy to take a look around the palace and then return to him in two more hours.
“‘Meanwhile, I want to ask you to do something,’ said the wise man, handing the boy a teaspoon that held two drops of oil. ‘As you wander around, carry this spoon with you without allowing the oil to spill.'”
The boy proceeded to walk around the palace while keeping his eyes completely focused on the spoon. Two hours later, he returned to the wise man, who asked him:
“'did you see the Persian tapestries that are hanging in my dining hall? Did you see the garden that it took the master gardener ten years to create? Did you notice the beautiful parchments in my library?’"
“The boy was embarrassed, and confessed that he had observed nothing. His only concern had been not to spill the oil that the wise man had entrusted to him.”
Then the wise man told the boy to go back through the palace and "observe the marvels of my world".
“Relieved, the boy picked up the spoon and returned to his exploration of the palace, this time observing all of the works of art on the ceilings and the walls. He saw the gardens, the mountains all around him, the beauty of the flowers, and the taste with which everything had been selected. Upon returning to the wise man, he related in detail everything he had seen.”
“‘But where are the drops of oil I entrusted to you?’ asked the wise man. “Looking down at the spoon he held, the boy saw that the oil was gone."
‘Well, there is only one piece of advice I can give you,’ said the wisest of wise men. ‘The secret of happiness is to see all the marvels of the world, and never to forget the drops of oil on the spoon.’”
To me, the spoon with the oil represents our main purpose in life - our personal legend. Whatever you think your personal legend may be, you must never lose sight of it.
BUT...
You must also never forget to appreciate the wonders of the world - the beautiful scenery around you and the important people in your life... The secret to happiness is to appreciate life and all its wonders while also never forgetting to pursue your personal legend.
Here's the Question of The Day, don't forget to post your answers in the comments!
QOTD: Do you struggle to find balance in your life? Are you able to appreciate the wonders of the world while also staying focused on your dreams and aspirations?
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to leave your thoughts below and I look forward to seeing you in the comments!
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