What will happen if today…….:
• I misbehave?
• I remove my mask and stop pretending?
• I do things without thinking twice or its consequences or what the others may say?
• I act as if I have the same innocence and the same will for adventure that I had when I was 6 years old?
• I’m spontaneous and I forget everything I have learnt?
• I call a friend to tell her how much I love and miss her and that I do not remember why we fought and I no longer care, because all I want is to have her back in my life. Since all I remember are the good moments we spend together and I want to enjoy them again.
• Instead of getting annoyed with the supermarket cashier because she is having a bad day and has decided to take it on me, I ignore her attitude and then treat her with more kindness than the usual one?
• I put on my best dress, shoes and perfume and sit to wait for my loved one, then when he comes and he asks me: “Where are you going gorgeous?” I just answer: “Nowhere, I was waiting for you!”
What will happen if……?
The list is very long; there are so many things we do not do because we are afraid of breaking the rules, or to be labeled as crazy or risking everything we have…
So what! Life is supposed to be fun, so let us dance while we travel our road, always remembering that what matter most is the way we travel and not to where we are heading to!
Please send your stories (250 words max.) for selection to paulocoelho.writer@gmail.com.
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow!! Thank you all for your lovely comments I love reading through them, it uplift my spirit and keep me motivated to continue doing what I’m doing.
Asante Sana! Thank u very much! Muchas gracias!! :)
Love to all
Gabi
Gabriela made me think…I was coming today to question why some need advice not to pretend…
Than, I was thinking at the great Art, at cinema or drama .Well,everybody loves actors…Why is that? Why we need more than reality? And if we love actors because they act,pretend,they play parts, are complex, maybe in the end is not the best idea being to simple and sincere…Or not always.
Much Love
Alexandra
“Instead of getting annoyed with the supermarket cashier because she is having a bad day and has decided to take it on me, I ignore her attitude and then treat her with more kindness than the usual one?” – I think it more to a reverse situations, cashiers are prone to receive verbal abuse from pain-in-the-butt customer.
ha ha ha
Wonderful words of advice, Gabriela! Perhaps we should all try this exercise and see to what treasures it may lead us.
You are so right about the rules: often we wear the rules and norms of our society – the “shoulds” and “should nots” – like a garment that we think is going to protect us and keep us from harm. But, instead of protecting us, it makes us tired and hot, like a heavy suit of armor worn in the heat of the summer. The weight of the thing is a burden that makes our heart heavy and casts a subtle shadow of gloom over our mood. But, if in a moment, we find the courage to fling the thing off and run free, we suddenly find access to insurmountable joy. The world opens for us like a flower unfolding, suddenly inviting us to partake of untold pleasures.
Just this morning I tried your little exercise, Gabriela. Something came to me in a moment, something that I felt suddenly inspired to do – something that I felt like saying to someone on the spur of the moment, just on impulse – and I said to myself, “You can’t do that! It’s so improper!” But then I allowed myself to say it anyway – to break the rules just for a moment – and it felt wonderful. The world didn’t come to an end just because I “broke the rules” and, best of all, it was fun! Just saying what I really thought – speaking for a moment without concern of consequences – gave me this most delicious shiver of sheer joy.
Thanks, Gabriela!
Sincerely,
Savita
Thanks so much for dear Paulo and the team for publishing such inspirational posts. Keep on, Gabi.
breaking the rules sometimes will give us bliss!
Life life to the fullest with vigor and zest thus making a difference in other people’s lives…
This story reminds me “The witch of Portobello”. Great story, thank you for sharing!
Yes, lets splash some water at each other this week end and have a pillow war. Gabriela you are so right!
Gabriela, It was nice reading it in the comment section and glad to see it under Stories. I did not comment the first time so I think I have been given a second chance.
Yes,really nice,even if is not a story…But loved it at first sight, means yesterday. You put in words some of my own thoughts. Great talent you are. But, you are talking about dance, stop pretending. What if other will never pretend? Say round clear their opinion in your face. Sometimes bit of pretending is for the best. In minimum quantity, as in homeopathy.And I feel bad when people are sustaining that is ok being spontaneous , funny, but in the end if you are that way they avoid you…Anyways, dont mind mine words, just want to thank you, I loved the story, thoughts, and love your style. Good luck
Love
Alexandra
Liberty is important for me and is in being true to myself, authentic. And yes, some will not agree, avoid, or whatever, and I give them liberty to do so … and maybe I will discover something and come back and tell that my position changed, etc … and maybe I will discover that what I expressed is okay fine. For me, spontaneity is life, and like everything else, watch out for excess, look for balance … By the way, Alexandra, I love your spontaneity that transpires when you come to the blog :-) Jojo
I love ur story its so true. I am will and always will be a kid!
Thank you so much to Paulo, his team and all of you.
As one of my friends told me yesterday : “Follow your heart. When Mr. Noah wanted to save the world by building a rather large wooden boat, everyone thought he was another mad carpenter.”
I’m one mad carpenter!!
Love
Gabi
http://gabrielaabalo.blogspot.com
Excelente idea, yo solo me pregunto, cuantos de nosotros pondremos en practica lo aquí leído.
Walking, dancing, dreaming, fun, as we move through life. Without looking to the past and not worrying about the future. Doing what is due today, which is now what counts. Leaving behind what does not work in your life, what you always gave the same result, insastifación, disenchantment, disappointment, deception, depression, change it to inner peace and self-control.
It is necessary to understand the patience it takes to break the mood in which we find ourselves. Only time, discipline will help us to continue forward. I will fix the date on which I will return to be born nine months from now like a baby. On March 12, 2010.
Hope and fun
I love this story! I love living with a reckless abandon, doing what one wants at any moment, being Free… It’s so, Liberating and uplifting. Gabriela, Wonderful story!
Nice thoughts..Who said..we should walk our life..lets dance..run…merry..no norms..no need to be normal..
Wow……..!!!! Just beautiful…….’Life’ explained in such a simple manner…
Luv,
Ram
The return of the true Self … People brought kids to Jesus, and his disciples tried to prevent them to going near. And Jesus said to let him see the children, to not make obstacles to them to be near Him, and he said that God’s Place was to those who were like them. That is what inspired me when I decided to take another chance at life, and I chose the good door, the door of listening to what was deep inside me, in terms of dreams, happiness, principles, etc … Well, before the return of the “true spontaneity, true openness to experiences, etc …”, I had to “force myself, discipline myself … no, helped the spontaneity to come brake free again”. Learning to know myself, identify the fears, the introjections, the false believes, confront them with what was there deep inside me, and pass the fears, experience the contrary and tasting the “saveur”. It demanded a conscious effort, and today it flows for most … some other domains I have to help, to brake free … The quest for liberty and most of all with that deep security that God is smiling while looking at me …
I like how you put it… what inspired you to take a second chance.
;o)
yes life is supposed to be fun, let’s dance as we travel. let’s take care that our idea of fun is at least neutral, it does not harm anyone or anything, let’s share a laughter and let’s share someone’s tears too !
good work gabriela
love
aditya
simplemente…exelente!!seria el estado unico de plenitud, felicitaciones! Gabriela.
What if today I come full circle and allow God to take me where he’s wanted to all along…?
Very inspiring text.
I will try to tell you in words, difficult some times for me to explain the “lighting” … I saw a little girl next to a river, back at me, could not see her face, but recognized the dress! She was about 5 or 6, alone, like waiting, waiting for someone to take her hand, to let her live … I then realized it was me! At that moment, I had my scenario for living this world … and then, I could not let her there … she needed me, she had the right to live, to express her essence, to have dreams. I took her hand and promised her to bring her to where she wanted … she wanted happiness, to be part of the Universe, she wanted to take the place that was intended for her. She only needed that I loved her and believed in her. And since then, I am in relation with her, listen to her, etc … MY SOUL!
Yes, really nice example. Is true, we must have at least our heart pure as children. Thank you
Thank you dear Jojo.You too kind. Wish you all the best,
LOve
Alexandra
Wish you the same Alexandra. Jojo.
Yes, we need to “reconnect” consciously to our soul, to our true essence in order to manifest it, to live it, to feel that we are living a day with a sense of inner satisfaction, a satisfaction that comes from inside and not from outside. Remember as a child … eyes wide opened, mind all opened, opened to learn, asking spontaneously, capable of living the present moment totally … God’s Place is for those who are like those children … Jojo.