(This text, which I found on the Internet, is attributed to me . I did not write it, but I think worth reproducing here)
I’ve learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them;
I’ve learned that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back;
I’ve learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.
I’ve learned that you can get by on charm, for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something;
I’ve learned that either you control your attitude or it controls you.
I’ve learned that no matter how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take it’s place.
I’ve learned that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re downhill are the ones to help you get back up.
I’ve learned that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry.
I’ve learned that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.
I’ve learned that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean that they don’t love you with all they have.
I’ve learned that maturity had more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.
I’ve learned that your family won’t always be there for you.
I’ve learned that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while.
I’ve learned that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you have to forgive yourself.
I’ve learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken, the world doesn’t stop for your grief.
I’ve learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.
I’ve learned that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do.
I’ve learned that we don’t have to change friends if we understand that friends change.
I’ve learned that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
I’ve learned that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will get hurt in the process.
I’ve learned that your life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don’t even know you.
I’ve learned that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings and standing up for what you believe.
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At the same time, sad and so lovely. But surely inspirational!
Parte do texto é do “Menestrel”… muito lindo. Lição de Vida!
I need this as a poster! <3
Well, all this is indeed very true and I am very thankful to Sir Coelho who have inspired me in past and will keep inspiring me iin the near future and hope whatever i learn through the books ,I could apply in my daily chores
thank you
All things indeed are very true, But this sense of maturity in understanding only comes after all the mistakes I commit , All the blunders that happen by my own hands , All hurts I cause to the loved ones. Why cant man really not understand the signs …..coming and going to avoid such things……….at the deepest corner of heart or somewhere we always know what is going to come and what should be avoided BUT why we become so bent down on committing such disasters. Why cant we make people happy always. And why wrong things happen at the right time……….I believe all this remains a mystery and that proves we all are still puppets in hands of fate and HIM.
‘I believe all this remains a mystery and that proves we all are still puppets in hands of fate and HIM.’… How do people still come up with this rubbish?.. Thank you though, Paul.
All those things written are, indeed, true. True wisdom with Coelho is undeniably amazing and that everyone’s heart would surely be touched. Thank you for inspiring us!
Thank you master, it’s touching my heart, in every way <3
Thank you for the wisdom Paulo :)
If I actually learn all this I’m truly blessed!
Thank you, Paulo.
Unlearning the old learnt can be more difficult than learning the new.
With love.
Thank you Paulo for this wonderful post.
Paulo,
I want to invite you to my Birthday.
I know that you invite your most devoted readers from time to time, and I think it’s unfair that this has only been a one-way street so far:-) I know you are a very busy man, but there is time to plan since my Birthday is not until October 2, 2012. I have some major decisions to make in my life, which I will be celebrating, and I am following my dream of meeting with my favorite writer. You have done so much through your books for me already, and your daily posts help me to fight fear. For this I thank you.
Hence, I am officially inviting you to be a guest of honor at my Birthday party.
Thank you,
Much love,
Ekaterina K.
Connecticut, USA
i learned that in this world where billions live, its just about me and myself. – Me
the author of these words is Octavian Paler, a Romanian writer. they are meaningful, indeed.
What have I learned ??? Well I have learned that love is love …. just because it is …. and I have also learned there are so much mysteries in this world …. so I will not solve them all … what have I learned more …. let me think for a while !!!!
I’ve learned not to read everything which is produced on the name of Paulo….these one liners are worth to be written on school boards…..Dear Paulo, I’ve learned to understand some deepest understandings from ur writings….
life….life…..life…..this is all about it…..we cant explain it but we like to live and experience the best and worst of it….. :)
Thank you for these warm, kind words. They made my night more peaceful.
Kind regards,
i.
soooo..true! You are an amazing writer
this is so true;
thanx mr.paulo… your words music to me.
I have learned that when someone hurts your feelings from the past , it means that you will somehow someday will be able to fix a heart in the present.
superb !
thank you !
love ya sir !
i have learnt that i have learnt nothing.
all learning eventually leads to nowhere.
Dear Mr. Paulo,
This is the first time in my life that I try to communicate with an author after reading his book(s). I do not mean that I have not read other great books, but there is something about how you write, how you think and put a part of your soul and mind and experiences in each single word that you write. That attracted me deeply, its like I became hypnotized. I must admit that the first book that I have read was the “The Alchemist.” It took me 2 days to complete it and I kept on reading it over and over again, because I felt that there is soooo much that I can and NEED to learn from it. From then on, I tracked down all of your work and became sort of obsessed by your writings and meanings.
So, thank you for opening my eyes to a whole new world of magic, meanings, tolerance, a feeling of self satisfaction, the urge to just keep going and soooo much more.
Thank you
Yours Eman, from Egypt.
you said wat i suppose to say!
i couldnt say it better….you wrote exactly my feelings down…..
I learn as well reading this blog. :-) There’s so many things to learn in life, too! Learning even the smallest thing on earth can make us grow well and be matured enough to face the challenges of our lives. =) Thank you.
i’ve learned much after readin dis………!!!!
or atleast gt a stamp dat everythng i thought wz trueee
The post is full of truth and truth is always universal
i like “universal” adj
What a great read to start my Chinese New Year! Thanks for sharing by republishing it :)
Gracias Sr, Coelho hoy recorde que tambien he aprendido a recordar cosas escondidas muy dentro de mi!
Mil gracias; Dios lo bendiga hoy, mañana y siempre!
Bonjour Mr Coelho,
Je vous remercie des livres que vous avez ecrit qui ont été une grande reflexion pour moi , j’ai 17 ans et étant un grand fan de jorge luis borges, je me suis retrouvé a lire votre chef d’oeuvre : L’achimiste et grace a cette lecture il m’a permis developper ma critique et mon imagination (je dessine beaucoup) . Dernierment j’ai acheté : comme le fleuve qui coule. Il est simplement parfait , je suis stupéfait de certaines histoires comme : de l’importance du diplome qui ma fait beaucoup reflechir , et de couper un arbre car une loi la dit . Mais j’ai était sensible a la justesse de vos textes comme le chemin du tir à l’arc dont j’ai relu les cinq qualités plusieurs fois tellement c’était beau et juste.
Je vous remercie encore pour tout cela.
cordialement benjamin
ps : Mais camardes de classe me prennent pour un fou , car mon reve est de traverser le canada a pieds et revenir au base de l’homme . Mais grace a vous je sais qu’il ne faut pas baisser le bras. Merci
saludos,mi admiración para ustd señor de las letras…es un gusto saludarlo.soy de Honduras
Dear Mr. Coelho,
I have only read a few of your books but found great meaning within them. Today, I read this post of yours. I am going through a very difficult time in my life; one which entails pain, grief, disappointments, and possibly, letting go. I cannot measure how comforting this post was, as I was probably imagining it was your voice that was reading to me all these quotes. Knowing that these words were written by an author who greatly brings inspiration to his readers somehow made me feel better today after hours of crying and wanting to give up on things. Thank you so much.
-Carolyn
Being from Romania, it is wonderful to see so many appreciations for this poem, which belongs to Octavian Paler – a Romanian writer and poet.
I am sure that soon, Mr. Coelho will talk about Romania and Octavian Paler.
yes,this is true,the poem belong to Octavian Paler.And I’m so proud and happy to see it posted on mister Paolo Coelho blog!
The poem is Octavian Paler’s, a Romanian writer.
WE HAVE TIME
By Octavian Paller
Translated by Sorana Lucia Salomeia
“We have time for everything:
to sleep, to run from one place to another,
to regret having mistaken and to mistake again,
to judge the others and to forgive
ourselves,
we have time for reading and writing,
for making corrections to our texts, to regret ever having
written,
we have time to make projects and never
respect them,
we have time to make illusions and gamble
through their ashes later on.
We have time for ambitions and illnesses,
to blame it all on ambitions and details,
we have time to watch the clouds, advertisements or
some ordinary accident,
we have time to chase our wonders away
and to postpone the answers,
we have time to break a dream to pieces and then
to reinvent it,
we have time to make friends, lose them,
we have time to learn our lessons and then
forget them quickly afterwards,
we have time to be given gifts and not understand them.
We have time for them all.
But there is no time for just a drop of tenderness.
When we are about to get to that too – we die.
I have learned some things during my lifetime,
experiences that I am now sharing with you!!
I have learned that you cannot make somebody
love you;
All you can do is be the beloved one.
Everything else… depends on the others.
I have learned that, no matter how much I might care,
Others might not care at all.
I have learned that it could take years to earn somebody’s confidence
And only a few seconds to lose it.,
I have learned that it is not WHAT you have in life,
But WHO is there for you to have.
I have learned that charms could be of use for only
About 15 minutes,
Afterwards, nevertheless, you had better know something.
I have learned that you should never compare yourself
to what others can do better than you,
but you what you can do yourself;
I have learned that what happens to the others is not as import as
what I can do to help;
I have learned that in whatever you might cut things,
They will always turn out to have two sides;
I have learned that when you have to depart from your dearest ones,
you should do it with the warmest words;
It could be the last time you see them.
I have learned that you could carry on for a long time
After stating you cannot take it anylonger;
I have learned that heroes are those who do what is right,
when the ought to,
regardless of the consequences;
I have that there are people who love you
But do not know how to show it;
I have learned that when I am upset I have
the RIGHT to be so
But I do not have the right to be mean as well;
I have learned that true friendship continues
to exist even when great distances are involved
And that goes for true love too.
I have learned that, if somebody does not love you
the way you might want to be loved,
It does not mean they do not love you with all their heart.
I have learned that no matter how good a friend might be to you,
They will inevitably hurt you from time to time
And you will have to forgive;
I have learned that it is not always enough to be
forgiven by others,
Sometimes you must learn how to forgive
your own self;
I have learned that, regardless of how much you might suffer,
The world will never cease running because of your pain.
I have learned that the past and circumstances
could alter your
personality,
But it is certainly YOU to be held responsible for what you become;
I have learned that, if two people argue, it does not mean
they do not love each other,
As well as their not arguing would not prove that they subsequently
are in love.
I have learned that you should sometimes put the person
in the first place
And not their deeds;
I have learned that two persons could be watching the very same thing
And perceive two totally different meanings;
I have learned that, in spite of any consequences,
Those who are fair and honest with themselves
reach higher peaks in life;
I have learned that one’s life could be changed
in only a few hours’ time
By people who might have never even known them;
I have learned that when you believe there is
nothing more you could offer,
You will always find the strength to help a friend
who in need.
I have learned that writing,
Just like speaking,
Could soothe your inner pain.
I have learned that the ones you hold dearest
Are taken away from you far too soon…
I have learned that it is far too difficult to realize
Where to draw the borders between kindness, not hurting the others
and firmly sustaining your ideas.
I have learned to love
In order to be loved in my turn.”
Octavian Paler (2 .07. 1926, Lisa, county Făgăraș,, Romania— 7 mai 2007)
Thank you for this, a beautiful poem indeed.
-Somewhere in Australia
heart Touching …and yet true to every word !!!
Sim , lembra muito The Minstrel , com um complemento. Mesmo assim muito bom com um toque a mais de sensibilidade .
Ho imparato che quando più credo di sapere qualcosa tanto più so che non so niente
We have time for everything:
to sleep, to run from one place to another,
to regret having mistaken and to mistake again,
to judge the others and to forgive
ourselves,
we have time for reading and writing,
for making corrections to our texts, to regret ever having
written,
we have time to make projects and never
respect them,
we have time to make illusions and gamble
through their ashes later on.
We have time for ambitions and illnesses,
to blame it all on ambitions and details,
we have time to watch the clouds, advertisements or
some ordinary accident,
we have time to chase our wonders away
and to postpone the answers,
we have time to break a dream to pieces and then
to reinvent it,
we have time to make friends, lose them,
we have time to learn our lessons and then
forget them quickly afterwards,
we have time to be given gifts and not understand them.
We have time for them all.
But there is no time for just a drop of tenderness.
When we are about to get to that too – we die.
I have learned some things during my lifetime,
experiences that I am now sharing with you!!
I have learned that you cannot make somebody
love you;
All you can do is be the beloved one.
Everything else… depends on the others.
I have learned that, no matter how much I might care,
Others might not care at all.
I have learned that it could take years to earn somebody’s confidence
And only a few seconds to lose it.,
I have learned that it is not WHAT you have in life,
But WHO is there for you to have.
I have learned that charms could be of use for only
About 15 minutes,
Afterwards, nevertheless, you had better know something.
I have learned that you should never compare yourself
to what others can do better than you,
but you what you can do yourself;
I have learned that what happens to the others is not as import as
what I can do to help;
I have learned that in whatever you might cut things,
They will always turn out to have two sides;
I have learned that when you have to depart from your dearest ones,
you should do it with the warmest words;
It could be the last time you see them.
I have learned that you could carry on for a long time
After stating you cannot take it anylonger;
I have learned that heroes are those who do what is right,
when the ought to,
regardless of the consequences;
I have that there are people who love you
But do not know how to show it;
I have learned that when I am upset I have
the RIGHT to be so
But I do not have the right to be mean as well;
I have learned that true friendship continues
to exist even when great distances are involved
And that goes for true love too.
I have learned that, if somebody does not love you
the way you might want to be loved,
It does not mean they do not love you with all their heart.
I have learned that no matter how good a friend might be to you,
They will inevitably hurt you from time to time
And you will have to forgive;
I have learned that it is not always enough to be
forgiven by others,
Sometimes you must learn how to forgive
your own self;
I have learned that, regardless of how much you might suffer,
The world will never cease running because of your pain.
I have learned that the past and circumstances
could alter your
personality,
But it is certainly YOU to be held responsible for what you become;
I have learned that, if two people argue, it does not mean
they do not love each other,
As well as their not arguing would not prove that they subsequently
are in love.
I have learned that you should sometimes put the person
in the first place
And not their deeds;
I have learned that two persons could be watching the very same thing
And perceive two totally different meanings;
I have learned that, in spite of any consequences,
Those who are fair and honest with themselves
reach higher peaks in life;
I have learned that one’s life could be changed
in only a few hours’ time
By people who might have never even known them;
I have learned that when you believe there is
nothing more you could offer,
You will always find the strength to help a friend
who in need.
I have learned that writing,
Just like speaking,
Could soothe your inner pain.
I have learned that the ones you hold dearest
Are taken away from you far too soon…
I have learned that it is far too difficult to realize
Where to draw the borders between kindness, not hurting the others
and firmly sustaining your ideas.
I have learned to love
In order to be loved in my turn.
(We have time – Octavian Paler)
I’m just a twentysomething year old girl who actually doesn’t know anything about life…but this post touched me and still I feel like I have something to share. It might help others or maybe not. To be honest I don’t know…
So there was a time when everything what I believe in was LOVE. You Know that short word with only 4 letters…But it fools you despite it 4 letters there is a huge meaning behind it and a even bigger power…that was why I chose not to fight for my love…Not because I didn’t love enough. No, it was because I loved that much that I tried and succeeded to let him go…It was always me him and God in between. He is in a very religious community and since I’m not we are not allowed to be together. So there was just the choice to let each other go… But now, I’m at a crossroad again and it looks like Life is closing its doors to me…I tried to concentrate on my education but I failed…and for once in my Life I don’t know what God is trying to tell me…I feel disconnected and lost. I don’t know how to read the signs. If there is anyone who knows what I should do please feel free to contact me. It was not my intention to annoy you, if you do feel so I apologize.
I have learned that Life is a gift and that we often forget to be thankful for it. I have learned on the hard way that no matter how hard you believe in love, others forget what Love is and means. So in the end it doesn’t matter what you think…
I don’t know Why I decided to write this, maybe I hoped this could soother my inner pain and it just felt right to share…i wish that in the near future i will understand and Be thankful again!
God bless…hopefully also my lost Soul!
AmazingLy weLL penned ,coming from the heart & touching the reader !
It is a poetic affirmation in depth of what one Learns :has Learnt & is stiLL Learning aLong the journey … according to Mr O. Paler .
Yet again, ”we are travelers on a cosmic journey,stardust,swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share.This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.”…… (The Alchemist).. & meanwhiLe, this is what we’Ve Learned thus far………..
WaVes of infinite & endLess Gratitude to you master CoeLho ,
SincereLy,
your discipLe, CN
Señor Coelho, dice usted que encontro este escrito y no lo escribio, creo que en el corazon de personas como usted, estas palabras ya estaban escritas, es sabiduria, muchas gracias una vez mas por compartir estos textos, un saludo Gloria.
Maestro Paulo Coelho. Para mi es mas que un honor ser parte de esta era, era donde puedo leer su bella literatura.
En las páginas de sus libros encuentro un espacio lleno de paz y amor.
Gracias!!
The writer has learned and learned,probably the hard way, and taken note of it all. He stopped for a moment and thought about it. He survived all kinds of personal Tsunamis. He is a survivor and not bitter. He is honest.
He gets knocked down but he gets up again.
A good try of understanding a life.. These r like a rules to live a life.. Thank u for such a wonderful post..
Awesome comment, James. What I developed out of it was the difference between people’s character is how they respond to adversity. I feel the battlers usually go farther than those who use life’s tragedies as an excuse to close themselves off from the world. I suppose, to borrow Paolo’s worlds, they keep ‘fighting the good fight’.
Like most of this but not about the right to be angry. Being angry with somebody means we want to harm them – nobody has this right. The antedote to anger is patience. Anger will never solve anything.
Anger is natural. To stop anger is like stopping love. It will affect yourself in a bad way and will not show the ones who need to know it how you really feel.
This is a similar to The Minstrel by William Shakespeare. Magnificent piece of work. Surely a piece which draws some tangible parallels between two great masters.
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