Saturday, May 11, 2024

To live means to take risks (Paulo Coelho)



Wie geht's?

There aren't too many writers who stop you in your tracks and make you think about your life.

That lead quote comes from the preface, the first page in fact, of Maktub, Coelho's book that collects teachings from various sources and presents, as he puts it - an exchange of experiences.

Maktub is an Arabic word that can be translated as - it is written. No co-incidence that it's been in the right-hand column of this blog for many years.

I've reached page 44 in Maktub and had to pause to let the following sink in.

When the traveler was ten, his mother sent him on a physical education course.

One of the exercises involved jumping from a bridge into the water. He would always go to the end of the line, and terrified because it would soon be his turn, he would watch as each boy ahead of him jumped in. One day, his teacher - seeing how afraid he was - made him go to the front so that he would be the first to jump.

He still felt afraid, but it was over so quickly that he lost his fear.

The master says:

Often we simply have to let things take their course. At other times, though, we have to roll up our sleeves and act. Then, the worst thing you can do is to put off the moment.

Love and peace - WNP

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