20 SEC READING: the city on the other side

by Paulo Coelho on December 10, 2011

Illustration by Ken Crane

A hermit from the monastery of Sceta approached Abbot Theodore:
 
‘I know exactly what the purpose of life is. I know what God asks of man and I know the best way to serve Him. And yet, even so, I am incapable of doing everything I should be doing in order to serve the Lord.’
 
The Abbot remained silent for a long time. Then he said:
 
‘You know that there is a city on the other side of the ocean, but you have not yet found the ship or placed your baggage on board and crossed the sea.
‘Why then bother talking about it or about how we should walk its streets?
 
‘It is not enough to know what life is for or to know the best way to serve God.
‘Put your ideas into practice and the road will reveal itself to you.’
 
 

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{ 90 comments… read them below or add one }

Albert von Baehr December 22, 2011 at 8:05 pm

Nice stories all that you relate to us. Unfortunately there is one flaw in all of them. I know God…He is a friend of mine and a constant companion…He is my Savior. Now to the flaws you facilitate. God does not work or talk through “prophets”, but functions in us all. Nevertheless, your stories are interesting and thus have some merit.

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aby December 19, 2011 at 10:15 am

I am very happy to get a living legend of great quotes.. thanks a lot…

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Alla December 18, 2011 at 9:17 pm
Francisco Carvalho December 15, 2011 at 10:55 pm

Sr. Paulo Coelho,

Sei que o Senhor é bastante ocupado… mas gostaria de saber se recebeu meu comunicado…

Agradeço muito sua atençao!
votos de felicidades
Francisco Carvalho

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christiane shertz December 15, 2011 at 12:33 am

I apologize – don’t know if you got my prior email – so am sending again – I discovered you just recently and your books have become my closest friends. I clicked on your blog today for the first time to discover a quote from Tim Gallway, who was a friend of my husband, Max Shertz, who was an artist from New York, who passed away two years ago. What an extraordinary coincidence. My husband painted from the Unconscious . . . he always said, “a higher hand is guiding me . . and taking me on my journey” and he was very humble as an artist because of it . . . considering he was from New York, Jewish guy from Brooklyn – I am from France and am going to make sure to read each one of your books. What a treasure you are. My husband’s website is maxshertz.com. You have come at a critical time in my life when as an artist, I have felt quite lonely. Thank you so very much and Portuguese must be the most beautiful language in the world even though they say French is. Christiane.

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Nair Lilians Diano December 14, 2011 at 5:46 pm

es Usted maravilloso,DIOS LO BENDIGA .

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himanshu December 14, 2011 at 6:55 am

Hi Paulo ,
You are one of my favorite writers. Thankyou you very much for disseminating
light of great wisdom earned over your lifetime to our fellows. you are simply amazing!!!

Regards,
Himanshu

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lila December 14, 2011 at 12:01 am

hello dear paulo!
you are my favorite writer and iam so glad find you!
thanks for your books thanks !
leila alemansour, iran,shiraz

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maria emilia December 13, 2011 at 1:04 pm

Querido Paulo,

A mensagem é linda. Mas sabe o que me levou a lê-la foi a imagem, não é a primeira vez que voce coloca imagens desse tipo. Para mim soam um pouco psicodélicas, eu acho o máximo !! Até mais,

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vinita dhawan December 13, 2011 at 7:39 am

and that’s when we need a guru or spiritual person to make us climb the ladder of the ship..

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Cristina December 13, 2011 at 2:42 am

Essa foi pra mim.
Passei toda a vida mais pensando q fazendo.
Tem dias q parece q a cabeça pesa de tanto pensar.
Ainda bem que sempre é tempo de mudar, a cada instante.
Obrigada por escrever essas coisas, é bom um chacoalhão.
Qria tanto te dar um abraço agora. Ainda bem q pensamento é mais rápido que a luz, sinta-se abraçado qrido.
Q a semana venha com chuvas de graças na sua vida.
Deus te ilumine

Amo vc s2

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Yan December 12, 2011 at 11:09 pm

I would answer the teaching of this story like I would answer my Sensei — Osu! and then do! do! do! That’s the way it is.

I am so busy recently, but I am doing something that I like, and it’s for my dream.

I am VERY happy. I laughed the whole day.

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Face December 12, 2011 at 9:20 pm

I was thinking of a way to solve something that was bothering me and suddenly your name popped up in my mind. So I am here to read your blog and what do I see! Answer for my question right here in the story you have written. This happens always, my questions and doubts are answered in miraculous ways in your blogs.

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LoveM December 12, 2011 at 4:21 pm

You are the answer
To all of your minds questions
You’re the path.. you seek

Discover the truth
Not a belief or teaching
Its your very self

Never far away
When you are that wonderful
You are always here

Heaven is the home
In the heart of your being
Where mind can’t enter..

Leave mind at the door
Let us meet inside the heart
Of our BeloveD..

A being present
When you are completely here
That is what you are
LoveM

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Adriana Riess Karnal December 12, 2011 at 12:21 am

Paulo, a estrada se revela e nos revela, não é? Parece que é um mostrar-se dos dois lados, eu lá e ela cá, a medida que eu caminho eu me descubro, e ela parece abrir-se a cada passo que dou. Então, já se confunde estrada e eu, o caminho é ela ou sou eu?

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bagu December 11, 2011 at 11:23 pm

nella vita bisogna avere il coraggio di intraprendere strade che all’inizio sembra non vedere l’orrizonte, ma è necessario fidarsi e affidarsi per riuscire a vedere al di là del mare.

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Carina Lööf December 11, 2011 at 11:22 pm

Paulo …
Eu tinha duas opções uma vez em uma estação de …
Eu escolhi a vida. Meu anjo da guarda me ajudou. Tarde naquele dia, por 12 anos desde que ela vive dentro de mim, ela está comigo a cada passo que eu dou, e eu não estou mais com medo.

No ano passado eu estava divorciada, após 18 anos de casamento.
Hoje tenho uma liberdade em mim que eu não tenha sentido antes, me sinto forte, corajosa e cheia de curiosidade. Joie de vivre.
Eu também tinha um gosto de amor …
Eu gostei, e eu quero mais.
O amor me faz viver de novo …
Comecei um novo capítulo na minha lv, eu não sei nada sobre o futuro, só sei que aqui, agora, eu gosto de minha vida.

A próxima meta é o Caminho Peregrino …
Pode melhor o homem que você muito bem, e deixá-lo ver seu anjo algum dia.

Carina 51 anos de Estocolmo, Suécia

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Marie-Christine December 11, 2011 at 9:23 pm

En francais
La ville de l’autre cote

Un ermite du Monastere de Scita s’est approche de l’abbe Theodore,

‘Je sais exactement quel est le but de la vie, Je sais ce que Dieu demande de l’homme et je connais la meilleure facon de le servir. Et, neanmoins je suis incapable de faire tout ce que je devrais faire afin de servir le Seigneur.’

L’abbe demeura silencieux pendant un long moment. Puis il dit :

‘Vous savez qu’il y a une ville de l’autre cote de l’Ocean mais vous n’avez pas encore trouve le bateau ni pose votre bagage a bord et traverse la mer.

‘Pourquoi m’ennuyer a faire des commentaires la-dessus et sur la meilleure maniere dont nous devons marcher dans ses rues?

‘Il ne suffit pas de savoir ce qu’est la vie ou de connaitre la meilleure maniere de servir Dieu.
‘Mettez vos idees en pratique et la route se revelera pour vous.’

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Marie-christine Grimard December 11, 2011 at 6:01 pm

“Put your ideas into practice and the road will reveal itself to you.”
Dans MAKTUB vous avez écrit: “Antonio Machado dit:
Coup par coup, Pas à Pas,
Voyageur il n’y a pas de chemin,
le chemin se fait en marchant.
Et si l’on regarde en arrière,
on voit le sentier que jamais
on ne foulera de nouveau.
Voyageur il n’est pas de chemin,
le chemin se fait en marchant. ”
Où ce chemin nous mènera-t-il, vers la lumière, vers l’Amour, vers Dieu ou seulement vers l’Autre? Tout ceci est peut-être une seule et même destination. M Christine G.
Ce

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KHALED_1981 December 11, 2011 at 4:41 pm

It is not enough to know what life is for or to know the best way to serve God.
so so so rgith , thank you Mr PAULO

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Daniel Mihai Popescu December 11, 2011 at 4:20 pm

Seems logic. What a nice metaphor, :). It’s never easy to find that ship, :).

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Olta Canka December 11, 2011 at 4:06 pm

So much struggling on being virtuous and sinless that we can’t and forgot to just enjoy the fact that WE ARE/ I AM.

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Liz December 11, 2011 at 2:47 pm

Paulo; do you think you will ever come to Kenya? That would be a Great Gift for someone who loves your work as I do :-)

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