20 SEC READ: The pencil ( ENG, PORT, ESP)

by Paulo Coelho on July 14, 2010

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked:
‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’
His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:
I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special.
‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’

‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’

‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.’
‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpner. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.
‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.’
‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.’
‘Finally, the pencil’s fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. in just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action’

source: “Like the Flowing River” by Paulo Coelho

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A história do lápis

O menino olhava a avó escrevendo uma carta. A certa altura, perguntou:
- Você está escrevendo uma história que aconteceu conosco? E por acaso, é uma história sobre mim?

A avó parou a carta, sorriu, e comentou com o neto:
- Estou escrevendo sobre você, é verdade.Entretanto, mais importante do que as palavras, é o lápis que estou usando. Gostaria que você fosse como ele, quando crescesse.

O menino olhou para o lápis, intrigado, e não viu nada de especial.

- Mas ele é igual a todos os lápis que vi em minha vida!
-Tudo depende do modo como você olha as coisas. Há cinco qualidades nele que, se você conseguir mantê-las, será sempre uma pessoa em paz com o mundo:

“Primeira qualidade: você pode fazer grandes coisas, mas não deve esquecer nunca que existe uma Mão que guia seus passos. Esta mão nós chamamos de Deus, e Ele deve sempre conduzi-lo em direção à Sua vontade.
“Segunda qualidade: de vez em quando eu preciso parar o que estou escrevendo, e usar o apontador. Isso faz com que o lápis sofra um pouco, mas no final, ele está mais afiado. Portanto, saiba suportar algumas dores, porque elas o farão ser uma pessoa melhor.
“Terceira qualidade: o lápis sempre permite que usemos uma borracha para apagar aquilo que estava errado. Entenda que corrigir uma coisa que fizemos não é, necessariamente algo mau, mas algo importante para nos manter no caminho da justiça.
“Quarta qualidade: o que realmente importa no lápis não é a madeira ou sua forma exterior, mas o grafite que está dentro. Portanto, sempre cuide daquilo que acontece dentro de você.
“Finalmente, a quinta qualidade do lápis: ele sempre deixa uma marca. Da mesma maneira, saiba que tudo que você fizer na vida, irá deixar traços, e procure ser consciente de cada ação”.


fonte: Ser como um rio que flui, Paulo Coelho

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La historia del lapiz

<
(gracias a la persona que hizo este clip)

trecho del libro “Ser como un rio que fluye”

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{ 281 comments… read them below or add one }

Aishah November 12, 2010 at 7:47 pm

Lovely

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BhairavaShiva November 12, 2010 at 7:32 pm

who made the pencil ?

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Ane November 12, 2010 at 7:30 pm

Que conmovedor,Dios te dio Paulo un grandioso Don, poder dar un mensaje a traves de palabras tan sencillas.
Quisiera que mi familia pudiera aprender de todos los mensajes que nos regalas,pero no tienen la cultura de la lectura, me diria mi hermana tengo muchas cosas que hacer, así que con esto, me surgio la idea de transcribirles este mensaje tan conmovedor…ahora voy hacer un lapiz.
Saludoss

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Uzma November 12, 2010 at 7:26 pm

Thanks for sharing these pearls of wisdom. It means a lot to me. Especially today!!!

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RAM November 12, 2010 at 7:22 pm

Good one paulo .. I have read it in ur book Like the flowing river… love ur blog

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Mohammed Qayouâ November 12, 2010 at 6:58 pm

I love your blog! they are alaways inspiring.

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Shree November 12, 2010 at 6:57 pm

Though these are facts, we need to be reminded often…thanks for reminding..

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jercyl hope November 12, 2010 at 6:49 pm

what a simple pencil with a very meaningful thought…

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jercyl hope November 12, 2010 at 6:47 pm

a very inspiring piece mr. cuelho…. love it.

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Elena Garcia November 12, 2010 at 6:40 pm

Hay como siempre la inspiracion divina lo acompaña querido maestro, que seria de la vida sin personas como usted que cultivan con palabras tan importantes el jardin interior de nuestras vidas, que tristeza saber que hay muchos que se aun nos perdemos de compartir estas palabras sumidos en nuestros egoismos y odiando al mundo por los errores y carencias, perdiendonos asi la magia de vivir aun con las partes grises que no podemos omitir…

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Nana Fredua-Agyeman November 12, 2010 at 6:39 pm

I always love your writings. a very deep message from a simple thing…

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Jose November 12, 2010 at 6:30 pm

sexta cualidad: necesita un papel en blanco sobre el cual poder escribir, debes de rodearte de personas con el corazón limpio para poder transmitir tus sabiduría y ellas entenderla.

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nina November 12, 2010 at 6:29 pm

Agreed, to be always able to look at things from different perspective. :)

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Liza Julao November 12, 2010 at 6:26 pm

I am a much better person after reading your post…

Thank you for the gifts you unselfishly shared with us…

Godspeed…

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Mine Kobal Ok November 12, 2010 at 6:12 pm

This story is one of my favorite ones:-) thanks a lot for sharing:-))

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tahsin khan October 16, 2010 at 7:54 pm

the art of life is perhaps expressing the complexes of life in simplest way so that not only understood by evryone but also remembered…..and remembred as a guiding principle….thnk u for gving that.

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Shery October 16, 2010 at 6:25 pm

Estoy segura que con esta lectura creceré, a pesar de que en algún momento tendré que sacarle punta a mi Vida…. 17 años maravillosamente vividos…. y sé que será mejor lo que viene. Este Sr. es lo máximo.

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Charmelaine October 16, 2010 at 4:55 am

Brilliant! Love your blog! This piece is very insightful and inspiring..

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Rosane October 15, 2010 at 3:43 pm

Muito linda a história PAulo. Deus te abençõe. Abraços

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Hassan Naqvi October 15, 2010 at 10:07 am

The simplistic way of describing the simplex life in five points, is truly amazing.

One more quality of this pencil is “It will eventually vanish one day but it’s writings will remain forever.”

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barira November 12, 2010 at 7:14 pm

well said hassan,

mya October 15, 2010 at 10:00 am

A beautiful piece

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meezy October 15, 2010 at 9:12 am

from now on whenever i see a pencil i’ll remember this article

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Sneha Dua October 15, 2010 at 8:54 am

some more qualities of pencil:

6 – Once its over, you buy new one. So no one cares about you when you are finished. No one remembers the last 100 pencils u used…

7 – when you sharpen, you leave trash around. Do that, always. Like a pencil

8 – When you leave a mark, it can be erased. Message – don’t bother about leaving marks. Just do the 7th point, that has more staying power. Remember point 6 too.

Sneha Dua !

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Dilek Gökmen October 15, 2010 at 12:11 pm

good idea

Kazmiroff November 12, 2010 at 9:29 pm

9 – when you break you need someone to sharpen you. You can never mend yourself.

Anna October 15, 2010 at 8:52 am

Who said that you have a talant, Paulo?
I’d rather say you have a gift. Yes! It’s really a big… no! a huge gift…to select the right words.
I’m just impressed by you, your simple words, your GIFT, which you’re using in a rigth way!
Thank YOU. Be blessed!

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Dilek Gökmen October 15, 2010 at 8:34 am

colourful pencils and clean ,empty surface What can we write or paint all through our lives?I wish for good things
bye from Turkey

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Dilek Gökmen October 15, 2010 at 8:12 am

Thank you for inspiring present Mr Coelho A pencil has got a sharp top if you sharpen it and get a sharp one you can hurt the paper like breaking hearts and it may bring hate but using it in a good way brings love and LOVE is the real guide to GOD

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Mohd Mateen October 15, 2010 at 7:03 am

It is nice to be reminded of tips on better living.
Thanks.

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sheena singh October 15, 2010 at 6:59 am

i have read this earlier but it has such powers that reading it again has enlightened me once more and have found new meaning to the whole story. Connecting to the pencil while passing through each stage of life.

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yamile October 15, 2010 at 6:08 am

gracias paulo..te sigo de hace años, y para los que somos padres y madres, es una buena enseñanza para nuestros hijos, creo que aca se resume un poco el como darles una base para ser hombres del mañana con buenos principios..y un humanizarlos que ya un poco se ha perdido el respeto…besos

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NYDIA E. September 15, 2010 at 3:38 am

Gacias por regalarnos tan bellas palabras.

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joyce Brown August 4, 2010 at 1:52 pm

i have just read “the Pencil” how very true , what a wonderful way ,of telling a little boy , the way of life .Thankyou Pualo x

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anthony August 2, 2010 at 11:41 am

this one is a very good article i ever read..actually im not a reader but when i started to read one of your blog interest within me arose..thanks… your article is not just an ordinary article..it’s amazing..with a very deep sense..

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Fany July 31, 2010 at 5:11 am

FANY
Hay cosas que solemos darle poca importancia, según nosotros Por ser pequeñas o por no tener un valor grandioso…sin embargo he ahí donde esta el verdadero valor y significado de la vida…apoco amigos????…todo tiene su razón de ser….
Me uno al lápiz….

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feho312 - Slovak translation July 30, 2010 at 2:17 pm

Chlapec sa díval ako babička píše list. Potom sa spýtal: „Píšeš o niečom, čo sa prihodilo nám? A nie je to náhodou príbeh o mne?“
Babička prestala písať, usmiala sa a odpovedala vnukovi: „Máš pravdu, píšem o tebe. Ale dôležitejšie než slová je ceruzka, ktorou píšem. Chcela by som, aby si sa jej podobal, až budeš veľký.“

Chlapec sa na ceruzku zvedavo pozrel, ale nevidel na nej nič zvláštne.
„Je predsa rovnaká ako všetky ostatné ceruzky, ktoré som kedy videl.“
„Všetko záleží na tom, ako sa na veci dívaš. Ceruzka má 5 vlastností, a keď si ich udržíš i ty, bude ti na svete vždy dobre.
Prvá vlastnosť: môžeš robiť veľké veci, ale nikdy nesmieš zabudnúť, že existuje Ruka, ktorá riadi tvoje kroky. Tejto ruke hovoríme Boh a On ťa má vždy viesť podľa svojej vôle.
Druhá vlastnosť: čas od času musíme prestať písať a použiť strúhadlo. To ceruzke trochu ubližuje, ale je potom ostrejšia. Preto musíš občas zniesť nejakú bolesť, ktorá z teba učiní lepšieho človeka.
Tretia vlastnosť: ceruzka nám vždy umožní, aby sme vzali gumu a vymazali chybu. Uvedom si, že opraviť niečo, čo sme urobili, nemusí byť zlé, ale je to naopak dôležité, aby sme zotrvali na správnej ceste.
Štvrtá vlastnosť: na ceruzke nie je dôležité drevo alebo vonkajší tvar, ale tuha, ktorá je vo vnútri. Preto vždy dávaj pozor na to, čo sa deje v tvojom vnútri.
A nakoniec piata vlastnosť: ceruzka vždy zanecháva stopu. Rovnako tak nič, čo v živote robíš, nezostane bez následkov, a preto si buď dobre vedomý toho, čo činíš.“

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Jana October 16, 2010 at 1:53 am

Velmi ma potesil slovensky preklad… poviedka je velmi pekna a preklad tiez … dakujem a prajem vsetko dobre :o)

fatima July 28, 2010 at 7:47 pm

Si el ser humano entendiera,el verdadero y principal mandamiento que Jesus nos enseño amar a Dios sobre todas las cosas,somos responsables de nuestra vida y que nuestra mision es manifestar el amor de Dios en la tierra,entrar en contacto con nuestro interior no para criticarnos,sino para mejorar,seriamos los verdaderos ayudantes que Dios necesita para vencer el mal

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cristina minglana July 27, 2010 at 1:54 am

your 20sec read:Pencil is really superb..u described the different way of life..love the way how you compared life to the pencil… i want to say thank you…am in the middle of chaos and it enlightens me… thank you so much..!!!

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shuktibha July 24, 2010 at 8:07 am

its a gr8 thought but sumtimes wat we r writing is dependent on the quality of paper ofcourse both when meet n of good quality then wat we r witing matters we should write in proper way n same is expected in life too action n reaction is dependent on circumstances

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Claudia July 22, 2010 at 12:35 am

Gracias Paulo……me esforzaré por ser un lápiz, siempre aprendo algo de ti, tengo las agendas en donde vienen pensamientos, a diario uno me da un mensaje positivo. Hoy empece a leer el libro del Alquimista, lo suspendi por trabajo pero hoy en la noche lo terminare. Te admiro Paulo y Dios te bendiga, gracias por existir y enseñarnos siempre algo bueno y nuevo.
Saludos…..desde Saltillo, Coah. México.

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nouna July 21, 2010 at 6:17 pm

je ne trouve pas des paroles assez fortes pour vous remercier, à chaque fois que je lie des hitoires sur votre blog, je me souviens de les avoir déjà lu, effectivement tout ce que vous avez ecrit m’a marqué, et a complètemet changer ma façon de penser et de voir les choses, jai appris a etre plus tolerante et genereuses, vos livres m’aident enormément,au bout d’une année jai pu lire huits de vos lvres, c’est devenu indispensable!

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huma arshad July 21, 2010 at 7:51 am

By using Pencil we have the powers to put our thoughts of mind on a paper; share and express our ideas. we just have to keep a check how much to share and how much to express. Man has created pencil by getting idea from God’s creattions in the world .Human body is also like a pencil,intead of lead we have souls and we have to go through the sharping process to modify or update ourselves as you have already mentioned .

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marta July 20, 2010 at 8:23 pm

I like in the way that He thinks and write, he,s a master my dream if one day I can meet him.

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Balaji July 20, 2010 at 11:55 am

Great…
God is handling so many pencils at a time to create his own masterpiece. So whenever the pencil treads the wrong path, it simply means, God is concentrating more on the other hand. It doesn’t mean God has to be blamed for it, because God always provides us with the eraser to undo the wrong doings, It is upto us, whether to wait for the eraser to do it action..or keep on scribbing, when the hand is busy using the eraser.

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Illy November 12, 2010 at 10:00 pm

To teach a young boy by using a Pencil is truly insightful and inspiring.It is almost indelible
However, the idea of using a Pencil to leaving marks is that you can use an eraser in case of mistakes and that should be compared to owning up to one’s mistakes and to ask for forgiveness
What a Great mentor you are Paulo Coelho
Thank you for sharing…

Erita J Sibuea July 20, 2010 at 6:06 am

A very inspiring note! Thank you, Mr Coelho.

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Elena July 19, 2010 at 1:05 pm

the 5th point sounds true. As for the rest, there is no need to suffer to become happier, or better person. We suffer because we don’t understand how things are, and our true nature is happy, brave and kind. The rest is like the dust on the mirror.

and when we do bad or silly things – who is responsible, us or that “hand”? it’s a convenient position, not to take responsibility for your actions, but not quite mature..

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Arka November 12, 2010 at 7:12 pm

So true!!

Josephine July 18, 2010 at 10:52 pm

Truly masterful! Only you could possibly explain life so simply yet masterfully.

Paulo, today I forwarded this piece to a very special friend who I believe will make connection. He is at a low point in his life right now, and hopefully receiving this little read will have an uplifting affect. Sometimes we just need to know we are not alone.
Peace, Maestro!

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Vasily July 18, 2010 at 7:28 pm

I would add one more quality. It’s the fact that a pencil will not last forever. The ofter you sharpen it, the smaller it becomes. Therefore one should not spread oneself too thin.

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louie July 18, 2010 at 6:11 pm

i will always be the kind of pencil that is “most of the time” consious of his marks…Question: shouldn’t i have the right to follow my will rather than to follow the path that is being given?

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veena July 18, 2010 at 12:29 pm

my daughter had once told me to read the story “THE PENCIL”
by Paulo Coelho ..and today i got the chance..lovely..simply,
watch your words n actions..they leave a mark…thank you so much,sir…God bless you

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Paulo M July 17, 2010 at 11:57 pm

Wooop wooop!! Lefthanders.

Nice piece – uma boa

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Polter July 17, 2010 at 8:06 pm

Thanks for this! A couple of years ago, I received a wonderful gift from my very good friends, and guess what it is? A pencil!

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