paulo coelho

There is one great truth on this planet: whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it's because that desire originated in the soul of the universe. It's your mission on earth.

Every human being has a personal legend to be fulfilled, and this is our reason for being in the world. This personal legend manifests itself in our enthusiasm for the task.

What reason?

That is a question we cannot answer before, or even during, the trials. Only when we have overcome them do we understand why they were there.

Every man hath the right to doubt his task, and to forsake it from time to time; but what he must not do is forget it. Whoever doubteth not himself is unworthy –for in his unquestioning belief in his ability, he commiteth the sin of pride. Blessed are they who go through moments of indecision.

… of all the weapons of destruction that man could invent, the most terrible –and the most powerful –was the word. Daggers and spears left traces of blood; arrows could be seen at a distance. Poisons were detected in the end and avoided… but the word managed to destroy without leaving clues.

His [Elijah] heart was beginning to give signs of alarm; he was enjoying being at this woman's side. Love could be a more frightening experience than standing before Ahab's soldier with an arrow aimed at his heart; if the arrow had struck him, he would be dead –and the rest was up to God. But if love struck him, he alone would have to take responsibility for the consequences.

… but the greatest wisdom is blinded by the glare of vanity.

Fear reaches only to the point where the unavoidable begins; from there on, it loses its meaning. And all we have left is the hope that we are making the right decision.

The old shepherd was right: The only solution was to forget a part of uncertainty and create a new history for oneself.