“A river never passes the same place twice,” says a philosopher. “Life is like a river,” says another philosopher, and we draw the conclusion that this is the metaphor that comes closest to the meaning of life. Consequently, it is always good to remember::
A] We are always doing things for the first time.While we move between our source (birth) to our destination (death), the landscape will always be new. We should face these novelties with joy, not with fear – because it is useless to fear what cannot be avoided. A river never stops running.
B] In a valley we walk slower. When everything around us becomes easier, the waters grow calm, we become more open, fuller and more generous.
C] Our banks are always fertile. Vegetation only grows where there is water. Whoever comes into contact with us needs to understand that we are there to give the thirsty something to drink.
D] Stones should be avoided. It is obvious that water is stronger than granite, but it takes time for this to happen. It is no good letting yourself be overcome by stronger obstacles, or trying to fight against them – that is a useless waste of energy. It is best to understand where the way out is, and then move forward.
E] Hollows call for patience. All of a sudden the river enters a sort of hole and stops running as joyfully as before. At such moments the only way out is to count on the help of time. When the right moment comes the hollow fills up and the water can flow ahead. In the place of the ugly, lifeless hole there now stands a lake that others can contemplate with joy.
F] We are one. We were born in a place that was meant for us, which will always keep us supplied with enough water so that when confronted with obstacles or depression we have the necessary patience or strength to move forward. We begin our course in a soft and fragile manner, where even a simple leaf can stop us. Nevertheless, as we respect the mystery of the source that gave us life, and trust in His eternal wisdom, little by little we gain all that we need to pursue our path.
G] Although we are one, soon we shall be many. As we travel on, the waters of other springs come closer, because that is the best path to follow. Then we are no longer just one, but many – and there comes a moment when we feel lost. However, as the Bible says, “all rivers flow to the sea.” It is impossible to remain in our solitude, no matter how romantic that may seem. When we accept the inevitable encounter with other springs, we eventually understand that this makes us much stronger, we get around obstacles or fill in the hollows in far less time and with greater ease.
H] We are a means of transportation. Of leaves, boats, ideas. May our waters always be generous, may be always be able to carry ahead everything or everyone that needs our help.
I] We are a source of inspiration. And so, let us leave the final words to the Brazilian poet, Manuel Bandeira:
“To be like a river that flows
silent through the night,
not fearing the darkness and
reflecting any stars high in the sky.
And if the sky is filled with clouds,
the clouds are water like the river, so
without remorse reflect them too”
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Gracias coelhoo!! Gracias por hacerme entender el sentido q tiene la vida… es como un rio q fluye!!
Simple yet inspiring “mantras” to lead a meaningful life…It captures the essence of all self-helf books more beautifully in ten points/paras…Saving it to my desktop as daily read…Thanks.
Muchas gracias, me encanta sobre todo la introducción “Un río nunca pasa dos veces por el mismo lugar”.
Pensar sobre água, rio, lago, ajuda sempre.
Ps: Já estou com o Manuscrito em minhas mãos. Obrigado Paulo
Such great steps ! certainly i got inspired by Paulo coelho`s words and your advices are so heart touching especially i liked that “It is obvious that water is stronger than granite, but it takes time for this to happen”; indeed a great point. If we are weak no matter but even we can recover and prove our-self best.
Obrigada!
dear paulo
after reading Manuel’s poem and many of your references relating life and river, i’ve accepted my life to be like a flowing river. your words always inspire me. with your help i’ve been a flowing river. thanks as always.
p.s.- nice photo..
with respect n love
angkana
Chris you are looking really beautiful in this pic….nd thanx Mr coelho for giving us so much knowledge about life…..may god bless u..:)
a nice photo out there. it looks like you are enjoying seeing the water falls down the glass.
Paulo, I absolutely love the picture of you and Chris. So much enthusiasm and love for life!
yes anne lei & nikamarie ! this picture ‘sparkles’ life & who these fantastic pple ‘are’ :o)) awwww
As I sat in class yesterday learning new things, I had imagined in the past this moment, but briefly and let in the wind only for it to return to me and manifest. Now the moment feels so surreal, but as I listen, communicate, and interact I know that it is all real, change is taking place inside and out a dream that I dreamt (birth given to; now growth).
I will be as free flowing as the river and allow my light to shine and join with the light that is all around flickering in the waters reflecting in the sun and the stars.
Fear has tried to show its face as I entered new waters, but my soul knows that fear is only bondage and I desire to feel the waves and be tickled by the butterflies in my stomach as I am one with the river and many with the sea.
In my experience flowing water is one of the best teachers of acceptance and surrender.
How will I recognize my teacher when I see her?
how beautiful your reflection jeff… i believe that u will recognize her… and unexpectelty (sorry im dutch), i wish u that :) namaste
Dear Paulo, I have been following your blog, since I read Fifth Mountain, your book, I read for the first time. Now it’s many years. And I can tell when the river of Paulo reflects the full moon of your magnificent soul. This is one such day, one such example.
I say this because I received with the reflected moon light and what only a river can deliver: inspiration, peace, life.
Much love,
Anu.
The river of our lives,
flows slowly enough to cleanse and ease our aching limbs,
it has the power to hold our deepest fears,
for the moment at least.
Taking nourishment from the water…
we quench our thirst first and reawaken our souls,
..the essence of who we are.
Here, we give ourselves this gift of transparency to carry on with our journeys.
Tasting this pure, cold nectar of life makes our reason to be, clear..it chills our insides, and as we feel it trickle down our needy throats..the sweat of our toil drips down our skin forgotten,
for the moment, at least.
Let me flow like the river and go where it goes,
allow me to rest and take in this cool, cool invigorating source,
I will see here the reflection of all …and touch the wonder that I cannot hold.
And my senses will come together in a joyful reunion, reminding me of the flow and what it means to be alive.
wow…a very lovely poem. :-)
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
Is he then not a river or is he a more forceful river carving his own path regardless of obstacles?
Troppo bello e forte paragonare la propria vita ad un fiume. Sei tostissimo.
l a mia vita, e’ un torrente calmo, ma talvolta precipitoso e quando e’ tranquillo nelle piccole insenature aspetta che il nemico prima o poi passi,
per poi poterlo attanagliare.
Paolo you are one of the best writers I ever see… The Alchemist one of my prefer books… I love the way you see life and the easy way you explain complex things… I will only mention the only part that may be not agree with you is when you say something about the bible or god. I think you don’t need it in order to people understand or like what you write about. Your own concept and personal way is good enough to touch the heart of every person that read something from you… I hope people don’t feel offended or take this personal, I just want express my personal opinion and yes … I am not religious person, I believe in Life as one… I wish the best to everybody, specially Mr. Coelho
Through the metafore of the river, I understood the deep sense of life, the meaning of the Aûm, the Unity of every element, the importance of time which is always running so that can just remain the present…
All that I know today I learned it from the Hermann Hesse’s master piece “Siddharta” and experienced it, not just with my intellect, but with my ears, heart and stomach.
Here I let you the quote, because it really deserves its place in this topic :
“The river is everywhere at the same time, at the source and at the mouth…in the ocean and in the mountains, everywhere, and that the present only exists for it, not the shadow of the past, nor the shadow of the future…Siddhartha the boy, Siddhartha the mature man and Siddhartha the old man are only separated by shadows, not through reality…Nothing was, nothing will be, everything has reality and presence.”
Thank you Sarah for this. xx
we are like the flowing water of a river trying to reach our goal, some became stagnant and eventually dries but some was able to made it to the end… they may be rocks along the way that hinder us , but seeing how the water surpassed these huge obstacles teaches us that if we cannot overcome challenges we should learn to undercome them…
Me encanta la foto!! ser como un río.. siempre fluyendo.. naciendo.. el agua.. es vída… gracias Paulo, beijos, love
Pilar e Juan Carlos.
Si j’avais à à raconter mon histoire, elle serait beaucoup trop longue à lire. Alors je vais écrire quelques lignes pour vous dire comment j’ai vécu.J’en ai parcouru des chemins parsemés de fleurs , j’ai écouté chanter les oiseaux, le vent souffler dans les sapins , arrosé mes fleurs mais il y en a beaucoup à dire . Mon itinéraire fut difficile à parcourir car je n’avais pas de carte pour me diriger dans mon existence .J’ai paremé ma petite vie de petits bonheurs en me racontant de jolis contes avec de drôles de personnages rencontrés ici et là . Mais les esprits qui me hantentviennent entâcher mon parcours car ils viennent me terroriser le matin et la journée et le soir pour m’endormir .. Mon chemin fut jonché de rochers , j’avais de mauvaises chaussures pour marcher .Parfois il suffit d’un peu d’imagination pour trnsformer votre vie en un conte de fée. Mais les vilains esprits sont toujours là mais parfois j’arrive à le dompter car c’est moi qui raconte de vilaines choses dans mon âme C’est pourquoi je me transforme en une petite fée bleue pour pouvoir écrire d’autres contes . Merci Paulopour votre Petite histoire . A bientôt .
oh, I love this photo <3
Cuando era jovencita me encantaba un poeta que se llamaba Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, hace un rato me he acordado de una de sus poesías y he tomado el libro que la estantería para buscarla, era una de sus poesías que más me gustaba, te la escribo ¿vale?:
Del salón en el ángulo oscuro,
de su dueña tal vez olvidada,
silenciosa y cubierta de polvo,
veíase el arpa.
¡Cuánta nota dormía en sus cuerdas
como el pájaro duerme en las ramas,
esperando la mano de nieve
que sabe arrancarlas!
¡Ay! pensé; ¡cuántas veces el genio
así duerme en el fondo del alma
y una voz como Lázaro espera
que le diga “Levántate y anda”!
Buenas noches, abrazos,
Toñi.
Me encanta!!!!! Tengo la sensación muchas veces de estar en un río que no acaba nunca sin mar ni montañas.
As much as I like this, the very reason why we click blog posts with “how to” in their titles is what keeps us from actually flowing.
ed è per questo che rifiuto tutto ciò che mi viene trasmesso come,un input da seguire,dai vari santi,santoni chiese,moschee…politicanti,filosofi.. perché nessuno ti può dire il tuo percorso da fiume.
Ogni essere umano ha il suo, mai farsi trasportare da un altro fiume o seguire percorsi già”affermati” noi dobbiamo arrivare allo stesso mare con il nostro,istinto ed la nostra personalità,diciamo il nostro “essere” individuale.
In each molecule of H2O are spaces.
Use your imagination to fill those spaces with love.
The molecules welcome such action.
The molecules themselves love humanity.
At least in MY imagination they do.
ah ah ah Nice show of hands:).
w orking hand in hand
adding elements of art
good synch from both sides :)
with love
h and y yin yang
Dear Mr. Paulo Coelho,
Hey!!I am from India. I just wanna say I Luv reading ur buks.Ur knowledge is impressive.N I LUV UR THOUGHTS. Such a pure soul u have.I get connected with the characters of ur buks n i enjoy reading it.U r such GREAT AUTHOR.
Wish u a successful Life n all ur dreams come true
Thanx,
Sakshi
Sorry Paulo again D and E…The organism needs volatility/stress for it too flow better, without these *obstacles* it starts to perish, the volatility makes it grow. You need to be the fire and wish for the wind (up to a point). This is Antifragility and it has now been emprical mapped (mathamatically).
And please dont quote G, its not the point. You need to fail, your greater upside is via negativity not via benifits, its actually by searching for hollows and Stones, for in these places are your greatest rewards.
What a fantastic photo!!!
you both are so amazing!!
Love and Gratitude
Annie
What a photo so fun to watch and joyfull ! ;-))))))
Thank you for sharing this obvious contagious joy.
With blessings and love
M christine
Amazing photo of you and Christina, looking like you both are a melting bed of two streams of a river.
Wet as we were, happily swimming, then floating, then drifting.
Float and dip, like a bobbing thing.
Peaceful in motion as in place.
The day gave way, the days do you know, to a night timed with a deeper hued sky.
This way the current flowed, that way it ebbed.
We are dry as a cinder, warm and protected.
We are in the river as the driver of our life thus projected.
Oh well!
wow. at its best. thanks
What..do u do when words seize to inspire u?y does that happen?
where does this river go
for that I know not
what banks she passes
what roots dip into her being
and there find life…
the raven was sent forth
my waters dried up
his locks are black
thick and wavy
he cast his shadow
i walk only within its lines
who will provide my water
who will quench my thirst
blackbird, blackbird
why do you weary me
why is your eye on me
why do you sit and stare
feet perched on cedar limbs
my throat is parched
my skin so dry
where is the balm
the ointment of Gilead
the salve to anoint my eyes
that I might see
only your eye moves
always on me
when will you fly
come to my tree
when will the river move
and i will be free again
to run into the sea
blackbird blackbird
my branch is empty
my roots are dry
they cling to these banks
consumed with thirst
my raven my love
your beauty consumes me
your wisdom i long for
anoint me my love
open my eyes
search my heart and try me
know my anxious thoughts
feel the river of life inside me
it longs to move
my harps are hung by your banks
your willows adorned with sadness
tuned to mourning
my river yearns to sing
it longs to move
it runs to you…
for there you sing
and my heart sings there too
come closer my love
take me with you
your strong current
that moves my soul forward
your pulse called life
ever moving
flowing
in you I choose
no fight
no struggle
only the grace you offer
ever moving
ever being
ever flowing
times swift hand
soft but hard
for all that I am
all that I’ll ever be
came through your power
in your loving hand…
~paula
Es preciosa la foto vuestra, bueno a mi me lo parece. La belleza depende siempre de los ojos que miran …supongo. Me gustaría …bueno yo veo cosas en las fotos de las personas que otros no pueden ver, me gustaría poder ver en las palmas de vuestras manos , ya sabes, los símbolos del fuego sagrado.
Bueno, cada persona puede ver lo que puede ver y cada persona puede tener lo que debe tener. Es una foto preciosa!!
Un saludo y un abrazo,
Toñi.
bellissima foto
You are one great inspiration to me Paulo….Thank you so much for inspiring us, may i be able to totally forget my painful past and move forward to a brand new life with the love of my life….Peter.
Olá queridos!
Nos trilhos da alma…conversam com água rs?Bjs lindos
Sunny river bank
Here comes effervescent joy
Bubbling down the stream
Going with the flow
Where ever the stream may be
You are still the sea
Wisdom of water
Always falling flowing down
Into love’s valley
Weary bedtime call
Heavy like a deep blue rock
In a waterfall
Silently it drops
Stillness of a waterfall
Soundlessly it plops
A pile and a post
This garden.. these river rocks
Anchor me the most
Late afternoon sun
receptive.. reflective pool
Enlightened waters
Lit by awareness
Your entire life flowing like
A river of light
Can you comprehend
Why the rivers laughing be
Cause their brooks came down
molto bella ..grazie
Pretty poem and funny sounding part “Soundlessly it plops”.
=)
I have nothing intelligent to say but this.
Magnifique , très joli poème . Quel talent .
Read your blog first time sir and might I say how lucky I feel v_v
Que sabias palabras. Realmente me motivo hoy.
“May our waters always be generous, may we always be able to carry ahead everything or everyone that needs our help.” [H]
Amen !
Thank you, Paulo.
Amen
Hermosa comparación con la vida, espero ser un río generoso con amplios márgenes fértiles y que algún día sirva de transporte.
Espero que se equivoquen los filósofos, por que hay un solo momento en mi vida que quisiera que se repita, si no se equivocan los filósofos, por lo menos que sea similar.
Una gota, dos gotas, un arroyo, dos arroyos, un rio, un mar o infinitas gotas.
Paz y Amor
river, mountain, lake or sky, sense a quality, just try.
A river of teardrops
makes me wanna go away
Away in time ,
what was will never again come by
The girl asked one day
‘papa, why the river changes colour in the night?’
‘it’s one of the river’s magic tricks,
when you grow up
One day you ‘ll find out how and why’..
Love and gratitude
Annie
Hola buenas tardes Paulo!
Es muy bonito lo que acabo de leer sobre “la vida es como un rio”, además es cierto. He tenido momentos en que el agua se mezcla con remolinos o depresiones y todo estaba fangoso, ahora el fango se ha estancado en el fondo y me encuentro como si fuera un lago dentro de un valle. La verdad es que es una sensación de paz muy gratificante. No sé si algún día este lago que es mi vida se extenderá para mezclarse con otros rios, no lo sé pero tampoco me preocupa demasiado saberlo.
He leido mensajes de personas que han recibido mensajes en sus correos a través del blog o algo así, no sé si te interesa o no …pero yo no he recibido mensajes de nadie ni insultándome ni intentando ponerse en contacto conmigo. Y si algún día los recibo, …les daré la importancia que merecen, es decir ninguna. Creo que estoy por encima de todo eso, y también quiero expresar que me parece muy mal que otras personas hagan algo así. Si nos queremos comunicar entre nosotros para eso tenemos este blog. Si queremos conocer a personas físicamente para eso tenemos nuestro propio entorno. Quiero decir que yo lo que explico aqui lo explico bajo el nombre o pseudonimo de Toñi, pero me podría llamar Manolo ¿no?. y en mi propio entorno no explicaría las cosas que explico aqui porque sencillamente no me hace gracia. Me quedé un poco ” a cuadros” de ver lo que la gente es capaz de hacer, pero bueno en este mundillo tiene que haber de todo ¿no?.
Un abrazo a todos y buenas tardes,
Toñi.