Those who know me, are very much aware that I’m not the type of person to sit down and read a novel—I’m into more complex works. Nevertheless, while reading Paulo Coelho’s By the River Piedra I sat Down and Wept, I couldn’t put it down. I deeply connected with the words on each page—the events, the ideas, and even the blank spaces spoke to me in a way I couldn’t have foreseen. A young man and woman—childhood friends—reunite. She still lives in their hometown while he has grown to be a renowned spiritual leader. They embark on a journey together—one of spiritual growth for her and for him, a journey of self-discovery—yet both combine to form a journey of love—a path of discovering the unity of two souls as one—under the umbrella of the utmost human emotion—namely love.
Rather than going into detailed description of the plot and a character analysis of each of the figures present, I decided to do something different. Instead, I picked out a few quotations from the chapters—which are all in journal-entry form—on which I will further elaborate.
“I can read your eyes. I can read your heart. You are going to fall in love.”
So it’s true—the rather overused expression-turned-cliché—the eyes are the windows to the soul. But what is it about eyes? No matter how you try to hide it in words, your eyes can never lie, which leads me to another statement that drew me into the work; “No one can lie, no one can hide anything when he looks directly into someone’s eyes.” Rings true, doesn’t it? Whether you’re trying to hide love or hate—or any other emotion for that matter—once you look into that other person’s eyes your shield is broken—regardless of the harsh, or fake, mask you’re trying to get away with.
“It’s a very simple sentence, he said. I love you.”
Three words—three “simple” words—but are they really so easy to utter? Some do it with such delight—such airiness—while others seem to struggle to even think of love, let alone confess it. Bear in mind, that the man is the one who said these words so simply…and at that point in the novel, she, the young woman, wasn’t even sure of her feelings yet—and he knew it, but as an answer to her comment, “you’re mistaken about my feelings,” he said “no, I’m not mistaken. I know you don’t love me. But I’m going to fight for your love.” Then he continued, “there are some things in life that are worth fighting for. You are worth it.” Now, honestly speaking, how many men do you know that would be brave enough to say that to the woman they love? How many men love a woman so much, so deeply, and are truly ready to give her their all? Sure, men throw “I love you”s at as all the time—but do they really mean it? Think about it!
“Neither of us had said anything. Love doesn’t need to be discussed; it has its own voice and speaks for itself.” Sometimes, you fall into a relationship and end up falling out of it because you no longer have fun together—you no longer enjoy each other’s company and even if you’re at the trendiest spot in town you still manage to feel bored and upset. But then, at other times—if you’re lucky—you could stay home with your partner; watching a movie or just gazing at each other in silence…and you feel like you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. If you’re one of the blessed ones—lucky enough to fall under the second umbrella—then give thanks to the superior powers because sometimes a silent hug or a deep kiss followed by a comforting embrace are everything you need.
“Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worst kind of suffering.” The in-between—the purgatory on earth. It’s not by coincidence that the torturous purgatory according to the Christian faith lies in the middle between heaven and hell, nor that the di-ference of the German philosopher Martin Heidegger lies between the heavens and earth—even the color gray—the undefined—lies between black and white! The middle is always the hardest place to be in—you don’t know what to do, where to go—where to start and when to move—back or forth, that is.
“We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation.”
Has it ever occurred to you that maybe your biggest sorrows and worries are the hopes and dreams of others? While in a good mood, probably yes, and you thank God and the heavens above for being on your side. But what about when you’re feeling down and lonely? Do you ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, you’re one of the lucky ones? I’m not saying that your problems are minimal—in fact, they may be grave—because we are all different, and my problems may appear as a grain of salt while to me they look like huge sand dunes. But it’s ok—bear the following in mind. As a closing for my article, I want you to remember this: each problem is an opportunity—a blessing is disguise—no matter what happens, it was meant to happen to help you grow—jus don’t give up and allow your spirit to develop. Enrich it with love and passion—don’t be an empty shell focused on role-playing and appearances—take risks—whether in your career, your love life or your everyday life—and I promise you, that you will grow—embark on the journey of self-discovery and love with courage and passion.
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