We often think that the ideal attitude is to give our life for a dream, but there is nothing more mistaken than this.
In order to make a dream come true, we need to conserve our life, and so we have to know how to avoid whatever is threatening us.
The more we premeditate on our steps, the more we stand to be wrong, because we are not taking others into consideration, or life’s teachings, or passion and calm.
The more we feel we are in control, the farther we are from controlling anything at all. A threat gives no warning, and a quick reaction cannot be programmed like a walk on Sunday afternoon.
So if you want to be in harmony with your love or with your fight, learn to react fast.
Using polite observation, do not let your supposed experience of life turn you into a machine, but rather use this experience always to listen to “the voice of the heart.”
Even if you disagree with what this voice is saying, respect it and follow its advice, for it knows the best moment to act and the right moment to avoid action.
This also holds true for both love and war.
in “The Treatise of Tahlan”, an ancient treatise for samurais
{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
A veces creo que es amor pero no lo se aun….
tengo ya 8 años conociendome con mi novio y 6 o 7 de novios siempre hemos tenido problemas por celos, desconfianza en si. Resulta que hace unos meses atras mi novio y yo habiamos quedado en vernos en su casa para ir a clases juntos pero llegue tarde el se enojo y me pidio mi celular para revisarlo pero no lo encontre pense estaba en casa luego el entro a dar un examen y encontre mi cel entre mis cosas entonces luego se lo dije y me dijo que ya no lo queria porque ya habia borrado todo y que no servia de nada que se lo de, luego de esto estabamos peleado no nos llevamos dejamos de comunicarnos como antes….
Hace un año conozco un chico que ve clases conmigo el cual siempre me ha molestado y nunca le e dado esperanzas pero hace 1 mes luego de salir de clases sali con el y unos amigos de el tambien y entre conversacion me dijo que el siempre me habia dicho que le gustaba pero jamas lo tomaba en cuenta pero hice que no lo escuchaba luego de esto hablamos y me dijo que era cierto. Laverdad es que el y yo nos gustamos mucho pero ambos tenemos pareja y eso es dificil mas aun para mi ya que tengo años con mi novio.
Un dia quedamos en vernos con el chico que me gusta en una cafeteria, estubimos puntual comimos algo y fuimos a coger un taxi para irnos a clases yo porque el iba a su casa, en el taxi yo le dije hace algo de frio porque de verdad lo hacia pero luego de esto el dijo te puedo abrazar y yo le dije si claro, entonces luego de esto el viro el rostro y yo tambien y nos besamos en total fueron 3 veces que lo hicimos, luego de esto llegamos donde teniamos que quedarnos nos despedimos y todo
El Chico que me gusta me dijo un dia que deseaba que estemos como amigos no mas porque el se estaba enamorando de mi y la verdad que despues no queria hacerme daño y eso me dolio mucho.
La verdad es que no se que esta pasando creo que me e enamorado de el pero no se si es algo conveniente ya que el trabaja todo el tiempo yo confio en el y el en mi pero despues de ese dia que nos besamos hasta la fecha no lo hemos hecho la cuestion es que me siento muy confundida Creo amar a mi novio pero a veces no siento nada por el y por el otro chico creo quererlo muchooo, pero no se que hacer que es lo mejor para mi si tratar de olvidar todo y empezar con mi novio de nuevo y terminar con todo.
Creo que esto es solo un amor que jamas se dará !!
Creo que necesito una ayuda porque no se que hacer…
The words of “the voice of your heart” will always sound like the words of a very young inexperienced humble woman compared to 12 very intelligent elders but she will always know the right path much better.
*the word of the woman against that of the 12 elders.
=>the voice of the heart against that of the experience.
A Samurai Warrior’s Creed
I have no parents–I make the heavens and earth my parents.
I have no home–I make awareness my home.
I have no life or death–I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
I have no divine power–I make honesty my divine power.
I have no means–I make understanding my means.
I have no magic secrets–I make character my magic secret.
I have no body–I make endurance my body.
I have no eyes–I make the flash of lightening my eyes.
I have no ears–I make sensibility my ears.
I have no limbs–I make promptness my limbs.
I have no strategy–I make “unshadowed by thought” my strategy.
I have no designs–I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.
I have no miracles–I make right-action my miracles.
I have no principles–I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
I have no tactics–I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
I have no talents–I make ready wit my talent.
I have no friends–I make my mind my friend.
I have no enemy–I make carelessness my enemy.
I have no armor–I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
I have no castle–I make immovable-mind my castle.
I have no sword–I make absence of self my sword.
Anonymous Samurai, fourteenth century
Found in The Book of Runes. Ralph H. Blum, St. Martin’s Press, NY, 1993
To achieve our purpose ,we need work hard .Hope everything is better and better in life
Incrível como você, Paulo Coelho, tem a capacidade de tocar lá no fundo da nossa alma. Esse texto serve de grande lição pra mim, que me acostumei a me comportar como uma “máquina”, com medo de errar, me humilhar e até mesmo de ser bem sucedido e despertar a inveja dos outros… Mto obrigado por tudo” Sou seu fã…
It’s just that I’m currently living.
I give “little value” to my life. Since I can achieve my dream is good.
No, not right, is wrong.
I’m only sleeping four hours a day to achieve my dream.
Step the whole night practicing my personal legend, I’ll sleep six in the morning and wake up at ten, do a little exercise and go to work, when I get home at night start all over again.
9 hours of exhaustive training.
I’ve tried to practice three hours a day, but I feel guilty, think “if I had practiced at 9 hours as I did today I would be better.”
My problem is excessive discipline, I read this wonderful text.
A part of me says for me to change, the other tells me to continue because it’s working well. . Anyway I will print this text and save it.
Im just curious… what is it that you practice for? i was like that at some point but after I reached one of my goals, i realized that it was not as fulfilling because i had not really “lived” life. There will always be another goal another dream to accomplish. It is good to work hard like you do but don’t forget the journey is all you have left in the end. Hope this helps.
Thank you for your kind words Rae.
I am a musician, learned to play piano with my grandfather at age 8.
3 years ago due to repeated movements of the training, I had a carpal tunnel problem in his right hand. I had to go a year without coaching, to compensate began playing guitar, now took the place of the old piano.
This showed me how excess is bad.
Thank you for your kind words.
Just enjoying life.
Keep on smiling :)
With love
Marie-Christine
You rock!
Hello Paulo, I’m sure ‘s agree with you. Both in war and in love you can give your life for the dream, but is more profiquo keep alive the dream and to do that we must act and even think fast. The speed is a good guarantee of survival, both in war and in love. Try to think if you love Romeo and Juliet were both faster in their correspondence, literature would have lost two myths, but their young lovers could live to the full their love. Hello and thank you because it’s always a pleasure to read. Rosetta
Ciao Paulo, certo io sono d’ accordo con te. Sia in guerra che in amore non si può dare la vita per il sogno, bensì è più profiquo mantenere in vita il sogno e per farlo occorre agire e anche pensare in fretta. La velocità è una buona garanzia di sopravvivenza, sia in guerra che in amore. Prova a pensare in amore se Romeo e Giulietta fossero stati entrambi più veloci nella loro corrispondenza, la letteratura avrebbe perso due miti, ma loro giovani amanti avrebbero potuto vivere fino in fondo il loro amore. Ciao e grazie perchè è sempre un piacere leggerti. Rosetta
The strongest trees have the deepest roots, so I keep my feet grounded whilst seeking higher guidance, connecting through my heart.
My heart acting alone is foolish …. this I have learned at a huge cost, but I have learned.
”respect it and follow its advice, for it knows the best moment to act and the right moment to avoid action”
This reading is VERY apt for me , I am listening and I do agree with the voice of my heart on this occasion.
Love
Breda
Like you’ve read my mind… This post is talking to me with each of its letters.
My life experience has taught me that IT TAKES COURAGE TO HEAR THE “VOICE OF THE HEART”, but you must hear it no matter how you dislike what it says.
When in difficult situations, my Angel says to me: “Courage!”
I believe that the heart is connected to and driven by love. The mind is connected to the ego – the part of us that has us convinced that we are separate from each other and God and can therefore be influenced by fear. Liberation from the latter is our ultimate objective.
Decisions made using intuition, coming from the heart are usually not the “soft” options in life in that they often require more courage than those made from a place of fear. However, it is only when we live our life from this place that we are indeed truly living.
I think though, half the battle is won when we are actually aware of it. When we have that clarity. The above is all good on paper (or screen as it were!) but in real terms how do we discern the difference between the two? How do we know when we are acting from a place of fear or love, the mind or the heart? The key I suppose is to use life’s experience, or wisdom to help up discern, to give us that clarity.
Last year I ended a 5 year on and off again relationship literally the day I truly realized that I was staying in it for reasons based in fear, the foremost being that I didn’t want to hurt him. I should also admit that it was also very scary letting go of an amazing man who loved and adored me. Ultimately for me, having the courage to end it was easier when I saw clearly that these and other reasons for staying, even if they were well meaning, were all based in fear and that nothing good ever comes of that. I ended it and consequently, in this past year my life has been amazing. This past year has been my best to date, I have been truly happy and living my bliss. Years ago I also hit the same crossroads with work. I had to choose between taking the security and safety of a lucrative family business handed to me on a platter or follow my passion and therefore my heart to wherever that may lead. I followed my passion and it turned into my own business anyway.
In both instances it was very tempting to let fear dictate my life choices and choose the safety of those very tempting options. Instead I followed my heart. People now sometimes tell me I’m so lucky to be living the life that I live. Maybe they are right, maybe it’s “luck” or maybe that’s just how things turn out when you follow your heart…
No doubt, life will throw more tests my way. I pray that I will have the wisdom to discern the voice of my heart from the voice of my head and the courage to follow it…
Wow. That takes courage! Im at a moment in my life where I am faced between a career that my heart is in and a life almost planned for me. The choice seems so easy to make but for so long I let fear rule my heart and mind. It is not easy to choose to go the path of your heart but I think its necessary. Part of the beauty of “heart” decisions I think is letting go and watching God work. Your choices have given me hope to do the same. Thanks
Oh Rae, it warms to heart to hear that this has helped in any way. I feel for you – I know how hard it can be and it took me some time to gain the clarity which gave me the courage… I hope your decision leads you to your heart’s desires!
With love,
Liz
Liz, thank you! Was there ever a defining moment where you thought that it was worth it? the struggle and everything?
Blessings to you, αγαπημένη μου Liz! It seems that you are also very strong and daring, because ‘O τολμών νικά” ! I believe also, that sometimes, no matter what we want and fight for, Karma reigns our Way! These are the moments that our inner balance is not ‘sure’ of the YES or NO we say! Destiny!
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
Rae that is a really good question, and I have to say – a difficult one. If there was ONE defining moment, and there may well have been, I can’t think of it right now or remember it. (I am a bit of a goldfish sometimes – it’s a whole new world every four seconds! Great for “living in the now” but crap when I actually need to recall something!) ;-) What I can say with certainty though, is that I have constant confirmation every day that I made the right choice. Every time someone who watched a performance came up to me afterwards and told me that my dancing inspired them; when I take a moment in one of my classes and stand to the side and just smile to myself as I watch a room full of people having fun, interacting and looking joyful; when I see the friendships and even relationships that are formed within the walls of my dance studio; recently when one of my students announced in class that performing in my annual concert last year was literally the highlight of his year; this year when a new beginner student performing for the first time thanked me and told me that it was the best experience of her life. These are grown adults who are choosing to learn to Latin Dance and it is changing their world and enriching their lives. These reasons and many others like them, for me constantly reaffirm that I made the right choice. Then of course, there are the slightly more selfish reasons! ;-) That I am not a slave to an alarm clock; I take holidays when I want to, I don’t need to ask a boss for time off – thankfully I have a fantastic team of teachers who cover for me; and I run my office from home so I have realized a dream of being able to work when I want, with my doggies on my lap. So, yes, in those moments when I “stop and smell the roses” and feel grateful for everything in my life I realize that I definitely did the right thing. If I had taken the soft option, the “safe” option of running my parents business, I would have died on the inside a little each day…
Efharisto agapimeni mou Thelma! Yes, my father loves quoting the ancient Greeks as well and I love it when he does. They were indeed wise!
You are so right about the “Karma” comment also. There were times, especially in the early days of making dance my full time occupation that I wanted to give it up. When as you say, my “inner balance is not sure”. Literally EVERY SINGLE TIME I had these thoughts of giving it up or doing something else with my life, that very day an amazing opportunity to teach or perform would present itself. Something fateful or karmic, as you say, would happen to keep me on my path. There was nothing subtle about it. It would always happen.
When I am lucky enough to witness these episodes of synchronicity and destiny at play, it lights me up inside.
I could go on about this forever but I won’t as Paulo is probably going to give me a word count limit soon! ;-)
Filaka xo
Don’t be over-confident or turn a blind eye in face of danger.
Half of our destiny is always in God’s hand. We should have respect and follow.
No human is an island, so other people or the society WILL have influence our life.
That’s my understanding to this article.
Whenever I have to take any firm decision I listen to my mind and whenever i do that my mind guides me in the right direction ,i ignore my heart’s voice at that time ,because heart gives you ameture advises sometimes which do not fit in today’s cruel and selfish world.
MAY GOD GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR OTHERS AND ULTIMATELY FOR US AS WELL
The voice of my heart has always been my advicer … sometimes I just have been bad to listening …. I have learned to listen more carefully indeed ….. who knows better then I how I want to live my life …. noone …. so it might seems strange what I do if someone not understand my heart ….. and sometimes I dont really understand myself … I just do what my heart tells me ;-)
“So if you want to be in harmony with your love or with your fight, learn to react fast.”
to be this fast, you need the speed of action that you use to hit a target while doing mounted archery:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOpOqgotJZc
you see the heart involved … I have not looked at it this way. I know that I need to train, understand, & trust my intuition.
just by contemplating with the mind, one is definitely too slow.
I think it takes practice, as with anything. Part of using your intuition is knowing yourself and trusting yourself which can be scary at times. But again, it is necessary. Good luK!
This feels much like being torn between what you think & what you feel, thoughts & emotions. I think listening to the voice of the heart doesn’t only mean following the heart alone. It’s about following the harmony of the mind & the heart. The two shall become one. I strongly believe this will help us in our journey, wherever it may lead us to & whatever it may bring.
How do you know if the voice that you hear is your heart or just fear?
fear lets you sweat, shiver, & gives you a short breath.
the heart is gentle & persistent, but not pushy.
<3
I remember I used to ask myself that question. :)))
Your heart will always speak with the truth, Your heart will guide you to the things you TRULY want and desire.
While fear will always keep telling you that they are wrong or threatening to you.
It takes courage to SPEAK & ACCEPT the truth (sometimes) …
:)
Thank you for your replies. I really appreciated them :)
Sometimes life is so complicated and we are good at make it more complex…! Maybe we just have to relax for a while so that our heart can speak without interferences..
why we talk about love and war in same pretext?
war is to conquer and love is to be conquered,;
totally opposite,totally strangers !!
simplemente, es hermoso poder escuchar y dejarse llevar por la voz del corazón, cometí muchos errores por dejarme llevar por lo que me dictaba en ese momento.
aprender la vida se hizo para crecer…
y eso es lo que estoy completando en mi vida.
escuchar mas seguido la voz del corazón, pero sin dejar que mis pies se separen del suelo…
Hi Paulo,
Thank you so much again…I really need this today. I always try to listen my heart and obey the same, but some times it happens that, my brain becomes stronger than my heart :(.
Acabo de ver la película “Australia”, es preciosa y algo más, jo, he llorado de la emoción, me ha recordado muchas cosas… Yo sigo retornando, pero no olvido por lo que cada día decido continuar. Un camino escondido, quizá un sueño de locos, quizá todo lo contrario, pero si me lleva de vuelta a mi hogar, con mi familia, las dos… valdrá la pena el esfuerzo.
Disculpad todos los que habeis sufrido mi inestabilidad y todo lo demás, siento haberos molestado y comprendo que os hayais alejado, pero vuelvo a ser como antes de todo esto, incluso mejor, solo espero que cualquier día, mi corazón me lleve de nuevo ante la persona que siempre he amado, entre tanto intento forjar la paz y trabajar para reconstruir mi hogar. Espero que algún día me conozcas como soy, aunque el momento preciso queda en manos de Dios.
Siempre vuestro …
No pretendo remover los sentimientos de nadíe, ni forzar cosas que no brotan de forma expontanea, ni siquiera un reencuentro, no busco nada pero eso no quiere decir que no desee lo que siempre he soñado, y si podeis, ved la película “Australia”.
Buenas noches, la verdad es que empiezo a ser normal, dentro de lo que cabe, pero este fin de semana, he vuelto a sentir lo que es un hogar al cenar en casa de unos amigos, y no se separa mucho de la vida que siempre quise, lo que pasa es que se me había olvidado, pero repito, espero que algún día me conozcas de nuevo por primera vez. Ahora sí, buenas noches…
Es el mejor camino.
I am admiring the sword.
The case I think is lacquer with some threads of gold in it.
On the handle there is what appears like a third eye on the third line.
The stainless steel blade is very sharp very elegant and sober at the same time.
It’s a S amour ai Warrior of the Light ‘ Sword.
so it’s a nice s word – a wise one -
‘Le Paradis c’est pouvoir dire j’ai commis certaines erreurs mais je n’ai pas ete lache,. J’ai vecu ma vie et j’ai fait ce que je devais faire.’ Paulo Coelho
Paradise is being able to say I have made some mistakes but I was not a coward. I lived my life and I did what I had to do.
With love and gratitude to the best teacher I have ever had,
Thank you so much.
Marie-Christine
Who is afraid of the big wolf ??? Not me …. anymore … I met many wolfs in my life ….. and if a wolf is sneaking around what can I do ??? I just live my life to the fullest … and if I meet a bad wolf ….. I will kick his ass … or maybe give him a kiss … that would be a suprise move *LOL*???? Well God has been on my side so far anyway …. I keep my faith :-) Love Jessica
Very interesting read. The most true part that I found in this 10 sec reading (funny how the lesson is one for a lifetime) is “even if you disagree with what this voice is saying, respect it and follow its advice, for it knows the best moment to act and the right moment to avoid action.” We all have this voice within us, but there are many times we as mere human beings don’t agree with it or don’t respect it perhaps because we think we know better. (Intuition VS Thought) That’s the best advice/life-lesson for me–to listen to that inner voice even when I disagree.
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” ~Einstein
I love the Einstein quote! So true. I had not heard this one before. Thanks for sharing.
I also share your sentiments on listening to the inner voice even when you don’t agree. Yes – a lifetime lesson in a 10 second read! That’s Paolo! -)
Es lo que podemos conocer como la voz del maestro interno, que nos trasciende lo que nos puede afectar.
il pensare troppo non sempre aiuta,non credo si possa progettare a lungo termine.Trovo giusto che ascoltando il proprio cuore( qualunque decisione si prende )pur sbagliando ci sentiamo meno sconfitti.Non sono belli i rimpianti.
Thank you for this guide. You are right, we should listen to the voice of the heart and follow our intuition.
Thank you for this wonderful story. I think the Zen monk is certainly right. One should always follow his heart. But God also has given intellect and character. It certainly speaks nothing against to use all three in unison and harmony. But the heart is, in the first place. In the inner and outer world. Whether you must always avoid threats, I do not know. Sometimes you have to stand where perhaps other deviate, or go where others stand, it certainly depends on the specific case. But if I understand correctly the monk, then he thinks so too. This story has very many aspects, one could probably write a book about it. One thing is certain. Good reaction has not hurt anybody.
I wish you all a wonderful first Advent, or simply a wonderful day
Paulo, sou um grande admirador seu e de seu trabalho. Amo seus livros, você é um exemplo de vida. Seria muito maravilhoso se você fizesse uma turnê de autógrafos pelo Brasil, incluindo minha cidade, Salvador. Fazem tantos anos que você veio aqui, não é verdade? Seu encontro com Irmã Dulce… Será um prazer ter seus livros autografados por você. Obrigado pela atenção, abraços.
what is a threat? a threat generates the “fight or flight reaction” within the body. we have this in common with animals. it is a very old thing…..but nowadays many people get this reaction several times a day…when the do not find their keys, when the car in front of them is slow, when the child does not hurry enough, when the computer does not function the way one wants, when another one has another opinion, when reading the newspapers…. and they are not able to relax naturally…it has a lot to do with balance, i think. the sword to me is a symbol for our ability to distinguish…
Is the sword an analogy of something? I’ve been puzzled through out so many books by Mr. Coelho, but I never did discover the meaning of the sword. Can someone please explain it to me?
The more we premeditate on our steps, the more we stand to be wrong, because we are not taking others into consideration, or life’s teachings, or passion and calm.
Someone who is very close to me ( over 10 years now), had been trying to rebuild a relationship with his sister…They grew apart from a very young age, and had become complete strangers! From the first few months since we met, the relationship with his sister dominated his actions…He wanted her back in her life, wanted his sister to share memories that only a sibling can relate to. Every time he spoke to me about it, he premeditated how she would react if he would approach her with his intentions. ” She doesn’t want anything to do with me, she will only tell me to stay out of her life…: he repeated over and over…She shut me out, I left her a few messages and she did not respond….
After 20 years, he finally worked up the courage to go see his sister and express his feelings and tell her how he wanted to re build a relationship with her…He finally realized that he had build anger and resentment to wards everyone around him because of his thoughts about his sister….
He was so nervous, preparing himself to get thrown out of her house…
When they met, much to his surprise, she was so happy to see him…He learned that she had been going through treatment for postpartum depression for nearly 2 years after the birth of her second child…
It turned out, that she had been feeling the same way as him for all those years….Apparently a postpartum depression following the birth of a second child is related to a sibling relationship!
From that day forward, they have been inseparable!!!! It took them 20 years to have a brother/sister relationship based on premeditated thoughts of what the other was thinking or would do….
Good.You are in a position to preach today. Dreams and warriors and challenges and harmony and love … good.
Лишь мягкость появляется-
У в Ю перевоплощается.
Любить всем хочется тогда,
Убить-уж не поднимется рука.(Речевой аппарат:Близкое и Далекое)
not sure avout the Sword…. you certainly have the Art of the word
Thank you so much.
you make a difference.
with love
Marie-Christine
..but rather use this experience always to listen to “the voice of the heart.”
Three years have past since I have made another comment.. Still I am not able to ‘follow the voice of my heart’! It seems that by growing older we lose our ability and passion that are needed to make us – frogs- jump out of the warm water of routine.. Thus we die the slow death in the .. suffocating, boring Sunday afternoon, with a … crying heart.
Blessings.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
The Art of the Sword is to “Listen yo the voice of the Heart”..
Make Love not war..
For me, the story also beholds the concept of TOTAL AWARENESS. Do not only see the outer, but also the inner conditions. Only by merging what is visible and invisible, the action that results from the decision will be in harmony.
In other words, always be ready. The closer you get to your dream, the more enemies you will have.
With Love.
I ‘ve raised my case :)
With love
Hi Paulo…I am taking a bit of break from iternet. Won’t be coming to your blog for some time. But I wish you well and more increase in readership, love and blessings. Love Avantika :)
what do you do when your heart takes you to a place you HATE?
why would life put you in a situation like this? i know there's something for me to learn, but i just don't get it.
Behind HATE there hides FEAR. The stronger the feeling the bigger it is…
I like that little text too much.Is an answer to many of my questions.I think is just like you have written.How nice to read your lines.I enjoy that.Take care,bye bye
“The more we premeditate on our steps, the more we stand to be wrong, because we are not taking others into consideration….”
There is a story, passed down by the sages of India, of an old man who heard one day that a childhood friend, a boy that he had gone to school with, was in a hospital in a nearby village, very sick. He was so excited to hear of the whereabouts of his long lost friend, whom he had not seen for decades, that he vowed to set out on the very next morning to walk to this village and visit the man.
When dawn came, he set out upon his journey, on foot, over the mountains. As he walked, he imagined in his mind the conversation that would follow their reunion:
He would say first to his friend, “How are you?”
And his friend would reply, “Much better, I’m much better today.”
And he would say, “Good, I’m very glad to hear it.”
The he would ask, “So what’s been ailing you?”
“Oh, just a little cold,” his friend would say.
“Well, good thing at our age,” he would boast, “Could have been worse, I suppose.”
Then he would ask, “So, what do the doctors say?”
“They say I’ll be out of here in no time,” his friend would reply.
“Oh, that’s good, very good!” he would respond.
Along the path, as he played this conversation over and over in his head, he picked a bundle of wildflowers to bring to his friend.
So, finally, he arrived at the village, found the hospital and went up, straightaway, to his old friend’s room. He knocked on the door. “Yes, come in,” a rather feeble voice replied.
He was so nervous by this time, and so excited, as well, to be seeing his old friend again, at last, he burst into the room, and came to a halt at the foot of the man’s bed. “Here, I’ve brought you some flowers,” he said, placing them on the bedside table. The man said nothing; just stared at him, as though he didn’t even recognize him. But, rather than introduce himself, he went right into the conversation as he had rehersed it in his head on the way there:
“How are you?” he said.
“Horrible!” replied the man.
“Good, I’m very glad to hear it,” he responded.
The man in the bed gave him a rather puzzled look at this point, but he didn’t even notice. He just went on with the script in his head:
“So what’s been ailing you?” he asked.
“Cancer,” the man replied.
“Well, good thing at our age,” he said with a smile, “Could have been worse, I suppose.”
At this point the man in the bed was beginning to wonder whether he was deaf or simply a madman. Still the conversation continued:
“Well, what do the doctors say?” he asked.
“They say I’m dying – that’s what!” snapped the man.
“Oh, that’s good, very good,” he responded.
At this point, the dying man began to turn red in the face. He was furious! He picked up the flowers from the bedside table, threw them in the visitor’s face and started yelling, “Get out! Get out! Nurse..! Doctor..! Someone… get this idiot out of my room!!!”
—-
So we learn that we should never premeditate our steps, but should remain open to the moment – ready to react quickly and appropriately, whatever comes our way. Also, in facing others, whether it be a friend or an opponent, we should never assume that we know with certainty what the other will say, what they will do or what thoughts they hold in their mind. No matter how much past experience we may have with a given person or particular situation, we must, above all, remain receptive to the unexpected.
Love,
Savita
you know.thats right i wish i have listened to my heart once because now its so weary.
Just as it is.
Thank you, Paulo.
what do you do when your heart takes you to a place you HATE?
why would life put you in a situation like this? i know there’s something for me to learn, but i just don’t get it.
Very Informative
How does one learn to listen to the heart?
Read ‘The Alchemist’ !
My dearest Jessica, there is a Greek quote:’When a door is closed an arch-door [I am not sure of the exact word] is opened’. Stop wasting your energy to find the reasons for injustices. Gather all your strenght and go forward. Tomorrow is another day. Do not let anyone destroy your confidence and peace of mind.
‘… Learn to react fast…and ‘listen to the voice of our heart’. This is, I think, a dangerous way of reacting when our heart is .. involved!! Because whenever we are ‘heart-broken’ by reacting fast may ruin all our dreams and change the ..flow or our life.
Love,
Thelma
Thelma i am a big fan of your writing and advises MAY GOD BLESS YOU
Dear Huma Arshad, thank you for ‘reading’ me and for your kind words! I always write and speak ‘sincerely’ and with the love I carry into my heart! If, with what I write, I may give help, warmth, relief and a … way out in our problems in everyday life, I am the … happiest … Warrior of the Light! May God bless you too and our Paulo Coelho and every soul..
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
Next Comments →
{ 1 trackback }