“When I take off my glasses I can still see the path. I can’t see the details, but I can see the path,” says my wife, with her + 6.5 degrees of myopia, while we walk through a field of corn during our European holidays.
I tell her that the same happens to me: although I am not short-sighted, sometimes I can’t see the details, but I always try to keep my eyes fixed on my choices.
We end up at a river in the middle of nowhere, near the village of Arcizac-Adour. And all of a sudden I remember that I made a promise that I have not yet fulfilled. Three years ago we were both sitting on the banks of this very same river when we spotted a beautiful woman wearing waterproof boots up to the knees, walking on the river-bed with a sack on her shoulders. When she saw us, she came over and said:
“I know Jacqueline (a friend of ours). I asked her to introduce us and she answered: “You’ll meet them when you least expect it. My name is Isabelle Labaune.”
She explained that she was there cleaning the river of odd bits of rubbish (plastic bottles and beer cans carried down by the current), but that her true passion were horses. That afternoon we went to visit her stables.
Isabelle had a dozen or so animals, and did everything absolutely alone – she fed them, kept the place in order, cleaned the stables and fixed the tiles – indeed, all the work that would drive anyone crazy.
“I set up an association for people born with mental problems. I am absolutely certain that horse-riding makes them feel loved and integrated with society.”
Whenever I spent holidays in the region, I met Isabelle. Minibuses arrived bringing young people suffering from the Down Syndrome to ride the beautiful horses and stroll by the rivers and through the forests and parks. There was never an accident. The parents looked on with tears in their eyes, and Isabelle wore a smile on her lips. She was deeply proud of what she did: she woke at five in the morning, worked the whole day long, and went to bed early, exhausted.
She was a very attractive young woman. But she did not have a boyfriend:
“All the men who appear in my life want me to be a housewife. But I have a dream. I suffer when I am alone, but I would suffer a lot more if I abandoned the purpose of my life.”
The situation changed right at the beginning of 2006. One afternoon when I went to visit her, she told me she was in love. And that her boyfriend accepted her rhythm of life and was willing to help her in whatever way he could.
Some days later on I traveled to Brazil. I think that it was October when I received a message from her on the answering service of my mobile phone: she would like to see me - but I was far away and I paid no importance to the message, because nothing urgent ever happens in small towns in the interior.
When I returned to the Pyrenees in December, I went to have lunch with Jacqueline. That is when I found out that Isabelle had died of a fulminating cancer.
That night I lit a fire in my garden. I remained all alone looking at the flames and thinking about a woman who had done nothing but good in her life and whom God had taken away so early. I did not weep, but I felt a deep love in the air, as if she were present all around me. The next day I received a call from her boyfriend, who asked me to write something on her: she was gone, and nobody had ever known her work.
I promised to do so. But only today, when we were passing by the river and sat down in the same place, did I remember that I had made that promise, and now I am fulfilling it. Of the many people I have known in my life, one of the closest to saintliness was Isabelle Labaune.
tags technorati : Technorati Paulo Coelho Paulo Coehlo Warrior of Light Warrior of the Light Newsletter
well it is a popular belief in India that if you have commited lesser sins,you die earlier…I don’t know about sins….but well i think if you are a person who loves,you become love faster…
Just, wow. Absolutely incredible.
Aditya-
Just a few words regarding your device. Firstly, as a product itself we can’t fully say it may sell or not in our opinion, the last comment i made was based on my imagination on what this device is. So maybe you should tell us more about it.. Truth is, everybody is different, some people only need themselves to keep their goals in mind, while others need a reminder for them to keep focus. I think that if this is something you deeply believe in then you should go for it, if you can’t get it to work, then try something else, as long as along the way the same concept is kept and you are able to attain what you desire. The world works in many ways and one must not forget their are many different ways to reach people. But do remember you’re creating a product, whatever it may be people will want it to be practical, accessible, affordable, and durable. You mentioned early it is a wrist watch, i’m guessing its digital, so how does the programming work to remind people of their goals? Is it just their goals or also a series of inspirational quotes? Just be a bit careful though because with watches alot of people see them as jewellery and not so much a tool.
You mentioned that you feel strongly about global warming, that you’re hoping to enough financial stability to use your time to persue fighting against it. Why don’t you start small now, and see what you can do? Look at paulo’s story for example, she helped many people while she was able to, she started small with what she could do and she did it, and thats how she changed the lives of many people. Its not about being rich or finally having the time to do something for the world, its about doing the most you can for the world everyday.
Forgive me if i sound a bit pessimistic on things, but its not my intention at all. I merely wish to give you my honest opinion, and as a friend, thats the most i can give you. I hope your dreams will be achieved and i look forward to hearing more about this. I have no doubt that everything will work out the way it should be.
Lots of love
Yajna
Dearest Paulo,
I was rather taken back by this story, hence my minute mutter of ‘just, wow. Absolutely incredible.’ It seems i’m out of my slight frenzy and would like to add to my previous statement.
This lady was remarkable. She lived her dream everyday of her life, and she brought joy to so many people by doing what she loved. She is an inspiration to us all, and i admire her. In your words paulo, she will never be forgotten, for right now, you made her immortal.
There are so many people who do so much for others that the world doesn’t see, i suppose its because they don’t need to world to see. Doing it is enough, and i can understand that.
This story reminded me of an uncle i had, my father’s sisters husband. Growing up he was great, so much fun, very simple and to us all, his family he was just a lecturer at training college for educators. Only when he died did everyone know what he really did for millions of people in south africa. His wife and son didn’t even know of all the good he did because for him just giving was enough. He didn’t need to discuss anything to anyone. I remember all of us, on the day he died being suprised because we had to hold the funeral for a day so that ministers from all over the country were able to fly in to attend the funeral. It was the biggest funeral i’d ever seen, there was a line, outside the hall for people to come in to pay their respects. He’d organised to have blind people learn how to teach so that they could teach blind children in the blind and deaf society, and soon they created a school. He organised for a merger of two major universities in south africa, and he aimed at decreasing the standard of afrikaans (second language) at matric level so that children in rural areas of south africa could pass. He helped millions from disabled organisations to handicapped schools. He was living his dream and that was enough for him to feel happy, he didn’t want any praises from anyone, he just wanted the pleasure of knowing he helped another. He had a very easy going, humble nature. He never accepted any awards from anyone. Only after did people start to tell us how much he did for them. What a good man, modest, honest to the core with a heart of gold. But no matter what, I still remember him as Pa, this tall, pointy nosed man who used to grab me and bite my cheeks.
Thank you Paulo, i know that this story will touch many people and help them strive to live their dreams, and perform any act of random kindness everyday. And i think you should email a copy of this to her boyfriend if has not subscribed to this newsletter.
Thank you for being
Yajna
Oh that brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful woman. Very inspiring - to make purpose for good a higher priority in my life
Dear Paulo
This is a very inspiring narration (I would not label it a story). Very few of us ever try to find our purpose in life. And still fewer actually achieve that purpose. I am 42 years old and yet have not found what my purpose is. But I have been beginning to think about it in the last few years.
Isabelle had found that purpose quite early and she obviously lived it every moment of her life. I have read about quite a few people who have found a cause to live for and die for.
In our daily life we are so busy doing many things, but accomplishing very little, we do not spend time to think what we are doing or why. I hope I will be able to draw inspiration from Isabelle and find the purpose of my own existence, sooner than later.
Thanks very much for narrating this.
With best regards
Ramkumar
Yagna !
I can feel your love, thank u for your good wishes ! Insaallah !!
About more about the device, allow me to divulge any more details later, but I assure u that u’r concern regading
“some people only need themselves to keep their goals in mind, while others need a reminder for them to keep focus.”
in spirituality, if I understand Gita, Osho correctly one goal is to maintain a continuous awareness, even while sleeping, a part of awareness is said to remain awake. for material goals, even those people who are able to keep the goals in mind devise their own improvisations. in my view every mind needs reminding. mind is a wanderer, if left to itself.
” people will want it to be practical, accessible, affordable, and durable.” and discreet, very discreet for the kind of application we have in mind. The proposed device is will cost just as much as a wrist watch even with this new feature, would be as durable and accessible as wrist watch.
It can be made with both digital and quartz watches, any watch which has some electronics built into it.
as for my other concerns, u r right i do whatever I can when oppertunities present themselves, and with this device ( a thought variation ) i am on the look out for oppertunities. I tell u if all of us just focused on we taking care of our imediate environments, both physical and .. a beginning is made.
once again thanks for your wishes, hope ….
aditya
Dear Paulo !
Thanks for sharing her story. and also thanks for showing us that it’s worth keeping a promise even if it was made an year ago, as soon as u remembered u kept your promise ! wol no. 1 u lead by eaxmple don’t u !
now I am feeling pessimistic when i say this,
“I suffer when I am alone, but I would suffer a lot more if I abandoned the purpose of my life”
so is it choice between choosing one suffering over other ? is that why buddha said ’samsar’ ( world, life,..) is ‘dukh’ (pain), his first truth !!
somehow i don’t see it exactly that way, every choice brings with it both some suffering and some joy; for Isabelle the joy of being with the ‘purpose’ of her life would have been more than the joy of not being alone ! did she choose between joys or sufferings, how did she see it ??
anyway, pray she be happy wherever she is.
regards
aditya
Dear Paulo
Thank you for remembering, it is important for all of us to remember people such as Isabelle. Many walk through our lives everyday and we do not notice their tender touch.
I am 62 and have learned to walk softly, it is the little things we do each day for each other and for our mother earth. Practice random acts of kindness and senseless beauty. One small act will go a long way in creating a fabric of goodwill throughout our universe.
Nameste
Yodarick
Good people - hard to find, hard to keep,
Why do all the good people die so young ??? Is that a question that can be answered at this moment in time, I certainly cant answer it.
Take one Idi Amin. He took uganda and truned it into hell on earth, he called himself “The king of all the animals on the earth and all the fishes in the sea” and another favourite was “The last king of scotland”
He ruled uganda for nine years and killed 500,000 people, in fact there was one case were, in a remote village in uganda, were amin dumped all the bodies in the river, there were frequent black outs. Everyone in the town knew it was because the hydro-electric generator turbines were clogged with bodies. Then he invaded Tanzania, which proved a fatal mistake. Tanzinian soldiers forced him back and took Uganda. Was he punished ??? No, he escaped, he was expelled from Uganda in 1979, and it was only 24 years after his downfall that he escaped into the after-life. He got away with those murders, well he at least escaped punishment from us, may he be delivered to justice in some other way. He was 78 years old when he died, why did he get away ??? I cant answer that question either.
Do you know in his office was this saying in a little wooden frame “no wisdom is greater than kindness. those who build their success on others misfortunes, never succeed.”
It was just as well he couldnt read.
“all the work that would drive anyone crazy” - *lol*
You mean it would drive You crazy? *smile* but you know,
there is work and there is work…
In the old days before we had electricity and running water
everything was done by hand and the days had a total
other liferythm than what it has today,
some works although we have all kind of modern equipment
will not change that much. Animals, children, old and
sick people still need time and care.
Someone write that we in the modern west have
totally missunderstood the myth of Sisyfos -
we see the endless work he has to do as a curse
and something negative - while we actually don’t
know if he maybe enjoyed to feel his muscles working,
breathing deep of the cold air, listening to the birds?
Isabelle found a deep meaning in the hard work she was
doing and that’s the way it should be - when you do a
“sacrifice” but not feeling like it’s a sacrifice at all,
but a blessing.
Take care,
Josephine
Amazingly inspiring! I know every dream is always worth fighting for in keeping it flaming in one’s heart. Cheers to that wonderful lady. Her soul will be bleast!
so beautiful i dunno what to say
what is needed to be said
what you are to hear
so…
thank u thank u thank u
love YOU
kiss
x
Dear Paulo,
I am a deep and old (i think) fan of your work.Yet this is my first time to email.
As a muslim we in Islam belive that it is the last religion sent to man kind to follow and life on earth is a test period.
You’re given tools and indefinite time. What you do with both is up to you…as the Hereafter is inevitable and in it we shall be questioned to what we have done with our time on earth.
I think your friend Isabelle’s time was up. She was lukcy to have spent it in good.
I would like to share a very dear poem to my heart by Mother Theresa called Anyway which I think you may be familiar with.
“People are often unreasonable, illigical, and self-centered;
…Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may acuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
…Be kind anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
…Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, somone could destroy overnight;
…Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jelous;
…Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
…Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
…Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was nver between you and them, anyway.
Best Regards,
Nancy
Isabella your work is eternety wherever you are your presence is here with Paulo Coelho, some day all us meet in the hause of Eternety.
vishesh,
That is a very interesting thing, people who commit less sins die earlier. why do people believe this ????
I think it makes sense, because I have heard of more evil people living to old age and more innocent people dying young, but I dont know why people believe this ???
Friends, hello
I just watched a movie called “The Secret.”
i’d say your equipted for your dreams if you have the The Alchemist and The Secret with you. 
I loved this production and it made me remember many things, and has helped to focus on many things and most of all it inspired me. I’d love to hear from anyone here who watched it or read the book. AVC, i’d like to know what you think too.
If you have the chance, find it and watch as soon as possible. Its remarkable. It expresses what we all know so beautifully. Aditya, especially you, i think its important you see this, i think it will help you. And Tom i think i would help you understand more of what you also have discovered inside you. Its all about how thoughts manifest into reality. Its as though they are guiding us to use the language of the universe
Take Care
Lots of love
Yajna
Oh i forgot to write..
Aditya, sorry for this late reply. I understand that you don’t feel like talking about this device anymore. I know how difficlut it can be trying to explain something like this is a few words. There’s is bound to be endless misintepretations. The most i can say to you, believe. Don’t give up just yet- where there is a will, there’s a way. And watch the secret.
Nancy, absolutely beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Oh and..
Paulo, if you haven’t already checked out The Secret, do so when you have the time. Neal Donald Walsh and Jack Canfield are in it, amoung others
I know its very similar to your work, especially in the alchemist. Its written completely differently but you both are invariably are coming to the same core concept, that is using the universe as a tool to reaching your dreams, or rather the universe conspires to get you what you want. Its very good. Very inspirational. I’m curious to know what you think of it.. Do share with us if u have the time.
Thank you for being
Lots of love
Yajna
Hi yagna !
thanks for your compassion ! I would watch that movie, now that u have recommended it. And ya about the device, I know what is being spoken of, so even if i don’t want to beleive in it, that cann’t be, u cannot unknow something u know, no !
I would watch the movie and get back !!
and about nice people dying young ! fear not freinds ! if u r young and don’t want to die too soon, then u don’t have to become slightly wicked, some good people also live long, see for instance Paulo or Buddha, Vivekananda ( he too dies young )’s guru Ramkrishna, there are many other ’saints’ in this Part of India ‘Maharashtra’ who lived long.
aditya
Yajna,
It sound an intriguing movie. I will really have to watch it, is it new ???
I think that you do need some dort of start towards a journey, wether it be a book or movie, mine was definatley the alchemist, so i will go and see this film or buy it on dvd or something like that
lots of love
tom
I suspect (and hope) that Aditya is not that easily discouraged…
Right?
A.V.C,
from what I have gathered from when I first started talking to aditya, she is fair but is not discouraged.
oh and to all, I just found this saying that is one of my favourites, you may have heard it:
“Sow an act, and you reap a habit,
Sow a habit, and you reap a character,
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny!”
HI AVC, Tom !!
Recently, In a hindi movie ( they have borrowed few lines of Paulo ), our hero says, In India we don’t have unhappy endings ! if it’s not a happy ending it’s not the end !! see it togather with our firm belief in rebirths ! and we have no reason to be discouraged ! I have an idea, most probably I am right ! but then I may be wrong also, there is always that chance ! while requesting paulo’s help, I prayed that he does ! but then whether he actually finds time for it or not is entirely his prerogative. Of course it would have made me happier to see this device get made ASAP, but universe may have it’s own time frame ! so …
by the way tom ! thanks for your kind words, this I must clear, i am not a she ( although I am as emotional as most shes I have met ) i am 36 yr old male working in construction field.
regards
aditya
aditya,
I am extremely sorry, I hope I didnt offend you in any way, but for some reason I always took you as a she, I wonder why my brain automatically assumed this….I will have to ponder this for a while.
tht’s a promise well-kept..