By Paulo Coelho
Each of us faces two roads : action and contemplation. Both lead to the same point.
(Statutes for Life)
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Olá querido autor…acabei de ler O Mago de Fernando Morais, adorei…consegui descobrir um pouquinho mais sobre este homem/enigma Paulo Coelho, onde alguns amam e outros invejam.
Acredito que a tua vida foi muito mais de ação do que comtemplação, mas colheste bons frutos em caminhos tortuosos e árvores espinhentas…
A vida nos mostra,muitas vezes, caminhos surpreendentes e inesperados, nem sempre estamos de acordo com o tempo e espaço por ela determinados, mas somos obrigados a nos curvar diante de sua vontade e sabedoria. O importante é acreditar que tudo pelo que temos que vivenciar, será para nossa evolução espiritual e humana.
As pessoas só aprendem de duas formas: ou no amor ou na dor, que geralmente é a mais aplicada.
Um abraço meu querido amigo….
I believe in life there are two paths to be traveled: the path of my own desire and the path I currently travel. Society would have me believe that these two roads are one in the same. This ultimate path, for me now, is only a dream.
Presently I act, as Santiago of The Alchemist acts, and tend to my sheep to pass the time, to keep me occupied, to please those around me. My daily routine demands of me little thought as each night I refuel half way with only minimal sleep. When I rest my worn limbs each night (usually), I find I am too tired to think. When I awake the following morning, I discover once again that I cannot not think, at least of nothing but sleep. By the time I am awake enough to perform mental process, I am already busy at work repeating yesterday’s motions.
Today, however, I rebelled. When I make use of the word “rebel”, I do not speak of the militant Weatherman approach or even the musical protest of Bob Dylan. My form of rebellion was against myself, within myself. I simply sat in my Jeep Cherokee for five minutes. Five minutes! The action was passive and ultimately I lost yet I prided myself in trying again. Listening to the drops of rain collide with my roof, I closed my eyes and was at peace. I forced myself, as I often must, to forget my life. Forget my girlfriends 18th birthday today, the grill session I received from my coach when I trapped a ball poorly, my fragile ankle structured like a cracked glass, and above all the homework that would undoubtedly reduce my sleep to a few hours. I was living in the present. It was rare event and a valuable one.
For five minutes I thought of nothing but me; I was delighted. It was during these limited minutes I remembered a discovery I made long ago. I, like many, if not most, students, have accepted my mechanical life and even come to believe in its purpose. There is no purpose for me in my current though I remembered today. For a few minutes I contemplated the path of my own desire. I faced the cobb-webbed road scarcely visited and wondered, what if?
And although I volunteered to return to my routine path, I know I will ultimately leave and then clean out the cobb-webbs blocking a better life, one of purpose, one of my desire. I believe my path will converge to the same point in time as I convert my inner desires into outer realities. I will use my contemplated road to guide my road of action and only then will these words be true.
Until then I trudge a life of duality as many of this world do. We all have aspirations and most of us work hard to keep them only dreams. It will only be when I summon the courage needed that I will burn my high school diploma and spit on my college applications. Then I will know I am no longer a person of duality but rather a complete person, one who wholly values a life of thought and action, one who has reach the point of accomplishing my “Personal Legend”.
Action and contemplation are like a couple of lungs…to be useful they have to work together.
have a nice day.
It seems that we make … circles around ourselves! Inwards and upwards. The point is to find our way towards the Light, that will free us from Human destiny!
LOVE,
THELMA
si, intitolo gioia questa e-mail per te ,che sei tra i miei scrittori preferiti,ti ammiro e ogni volta che “ti” leggo e questo solitamente avviene tutto di un fiato, mi lasci l’emozione che aprirà ulteriormente la mia porticina segreta dentro il mio cuore.Sei grandiosamente semplice e vorrei tanto saper comunicare come fai tu attraverso gli scritti ,delle emozioni uniche alla gente che le leggerebbe…come devo impostare il mio modo di scrivere ,tutte le volte che sono a metà di una storia la rileggo e non mi soddisfa più perchè penso che magari alla gente che la potrebbe leggere non comunicherebbe nulla di speciale di grande per le loro emozioni…che devo fare per scrivere in modo emozionante mio grande Paulho!!!! ti abbraccio forte e vorrei un giorno incontrarti. loretta con tanto affetto e gratitudine.
I think it’s better to alternate them : some points are easier to touch by action, some by contemplation. But this depends on each person, of course.
With all my love,
Petra
yes both lead to same thing -I think but it depends on our situation which one best suits us at the time – just trust and see .Blessings Tania
Thank you. I needed that. I will remember that because today I learned something new, even if I still have to make it real and I know that I will.
‘In the life…these two realities exist in tension. Somehow…Mary, is to be contemplative in action, and active in contemplation. It is not a question of choosing one or the other, or of choosing one at one moment and the other at another, but of keeping the two realities in balance’ in A Certain Way by Craig Larkin 1995, page 90.
Yes but depending on which you chose, the journey will be very different, one is a journey relying on your gut and your way of doing things in life.
the other is thinking things through, and looking at things from different perspectives.
I am confused though, surely if they both lead to the same point, why would some people choose one over the other?
perhaps it is just were there strengths lie that defines there decisions…or perhaps something more.
I’d like to add the following: I see it almost the same way. And I don’t consider it being possible to take both roads at the same time. However, it is possible to switch between these roads, following a rhythm played by our souls – based upon my own experience and experiences of my beloved friends, which I love to observe closely at times, I think that this dance between the two roads often can facilitate live and thus our path – be it awarely spiritually oriented or not (which in my opinion then means “unawarely spiritually oriented”).
I agree and disagree with this quote. Action by itself, or contemplation by itself, don’t seem all that fruitful. It seems to me that action, contemplated, or contemplation, in an active state would be helpful.
Dear Paulo,
I never thought that action and contemplation can lead to the same point, it never crossed my mind before.
They seemed to me two opposites, but they need not be, it depends on single persons choice in the end.
Yes, they can and should lead to the same point.
Love
Luce
Olá querido autor…acabei de ler O Mago de Fernando Morais, adorei…consegui descobrir um pouquinho mais sobre este homem/enigma Paulo Coelho, onde alguns amam e outros invejam.
Acredito que a tua vida foi muito mais de ação do que comtemplação, mas colheste bons frutos em caminhos tortuosos e árvores espinhentas…
A vida nos mostra,muitas vezes, caminhos surpreendentes e inesperados, nem sempre estamos de acordo com o tempo e espaço por ela determinados, mas somos obrigados a nos curvar diante de sua vontade e sabedoria. O importante é acreditar que tudo pelo que temos que vivenciar, será para nossa evolução espiritual e humana.
As pessoas só aprendem de duas formas: ou no amor ou na dor, que geralmente é a mais aplicada.
Um abraço meu querido amigo….