Alchemy

 The story The Alchemist is focused around the journey of Santiago the shepherd boy and his travels to find his personal legend. While it starts of with him having a recurring dream for him to leave what is familiar to him and go to the pyramids in Egypt to find a treasure. The reader follows Santiago as he travels from Spain to Africa and follows his difficulties in his pursuit of treasure and his personal legend. Along the way he is faced with physical and emotional obstacles. While he does find his treasure, it is the lessons he learns about the world, of himself and of his personal legend  that make the  the journey complete. 

 A scene that hit me was the scene were the refuges told of their reoccurring dream that would lead Santiago back to Spain to gain his treasure. It reminds me of a line from my favorite movie, Labyrinth. “Sometime the way forward is the way back.” Santiago went all the way to Egypt to find his treasure to find the final clue sends him back to Spain to physically receive it. While some people would consider this a wild goose chase this is also a lesson much more important than the actual treasure. He learned that if he hadn’t gone to Egypt he never would have thought to dig up the treasure in Spain, He never would have learned to read omens, he never would have met Fatima and he would have never of learned to listen when his heart speaks to him. Without this journey he never would have achieved his personal legend.

 The point that I enjoyed the most about this story that I liked was also something that I also disliked about the book. The achieving ones persona legend is important, more important than anything else. While I can understand putting goals and dreams in front of things that are less important in the long run, I felt that it reflected in the book as more being a little on the selfish side. While I can understanding wanting to push everything to the side to pursue a goal, that actual doing it with little regard to what can occur afterwards just seem to be far-fetched. And while Santiago did seem to take these thoughts into account it still seemed he was willing to lose everything for something that he dreamed about even with “confirmation” that his treasure exists.  More importantly while I can respect someone else who can go through so much and push aside so much to achieve their goals, I myself could not help but view it as a bit selfish but can understand that human nature tends to be a little selfish at times.

 I would definitely recommend this book to a friend. It can change how people view the happenings that go on in their lives. Some people are always focused on the negative things that happen in their lives and don’t think that there might be a reason as to why those things were happening. This book would definitely give people who are always wondering why things never go their way or those who are constantly thing far too seriously about every little aspect of their lives. Sometimes you have to just let what’s going to happen, happen. This book would certainly give people a new perspective of their lives.  

Back to where it began

From across the blistering sand

To find what was thought to be

Buried beneath a desert sea

To go forward, to return

Taught a lesson, alone to learn

That returning back to the start

Brings the treasure closer to heart

Hear in hand the treasure behold

Jewels, chalices and coins of gold

Buried beneath religious roots

Between where the sycamore shoots

Here where it all began

With dreams of a far off land

A trip comes full around

By a dream be bound

Back to a land of blazing sun

Another journey begun

Back to the land of desert sand

To the oasis beyond where the Pyramids stand

Not Always but Most of the Time

I do my best not to take anything for granted. That is pretty hard to do. One thing I know I have the tendency to take for granted are my sisters. This is because they seem to, in my mind; drive me crazier more than they really do. This makes me take for granted that even when I think they won’t be behind me in something or assist me when I really need them, they are there. I also tend to take for granted to be thankful that they are there when I need them. That they tend to go out of their way to be there for me. Not that I wouldn't be there for them whenever they would need me, but that they take the time out of their lives to be there for me is something that I do tend to take for granted. It is also something I work towards not taking for granted.

I am grateful for my parents. As cliche as it sounds without them I wouldn't be here. I don’t just mean that physically either. Without them I wouldn't have been able to go back to college. My first attempt was a failure as I ended up having to withdraw because of my academic performance. I also ended up having to go back home because of losing my job because of the economy. If I didn't have them I would be in a place I don’t want to really think about. While I don’t think I would be at the bottom of the barrel, I defiantly don’t think that I would be where I am now if they didn't support me the way that they do. While there are the arguments and the occasional clash of wills it is because they raised me to be strong willed and independent that I am where I am now.

I generally try to take in all the good things that surround me and ignore anything negative. I have been rethinking ignoring the negative. Not necessarily take in the negative but to pay it attention that would allow me to understand it and avoid the effects that it brings with it. Algebra if nothing else has taught me this, negatives can beget more negatives. But if you find a way to turn that negative into a positive you’ll do fine.  The only way to learn how to overcome these negative things in life is to take in what is causing them and to learn from them. Otherwise when something negatives comes around, the people who usually ignore it have to back track to get around it. By taking in some of those negative things that surround you and learn from them you really are better off.

Thank you as always

For being someone special

For being my friend

Thank you in advance

For being there at my side

Through the harsher times

You listen to me

Probably more than you should

At least I don’t whine

Never one to wait

Enduring my impatience

You still stay with me

It is not enough

But I am grateful for you

Being my sister

Not Always Put Together

Planning things has always been something I have been good at. Whether they pull through completely is another story. People have told me that I over plan everything I do, as if I can prevent every possible bad outcome. I know better though. I know that there is no way to prevent something from happening whether you take it into account or not, if it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. Planning defiantly lowers my anxiety over things I can’t stop. However, trying to plan around a permanent form of anxiety is a little different. My father is a permanent form of anxiety for me. He goes through massive mood swings caused by a number of medications he takes for a variety of things. One minute he is happy and fine and the next he is having a fit over something. Planning anything around his moods is extremely difficult as I never know which mood he is in. The only things I can do are hope for the best and do what I can. You really can’t argue with him over him getting angry over nothing because he plays it off once he gets himself under control. Its also these moments can vary as he sulk over certain things for days and get over things in moments. I swear sometimes that the reason he has these mood swings is to see how far I can be pushed before I lose my patience and push back.

I have always disliked speaking in public. I did not enjoy the idea that I would be the center of attention in my own mind let alone in the actuality of it. Even giving an answer in class would have my face turning red and have me break out in a sweat. I usual avoid anything that would require me to speak out in a crowd. I eventually learned to tolerate it if I had to, but it was still something that makes me extremely anxious. Usually if there is another option that does not require me to be in front of people but do something that is more challenging or demanding I usually go for the second options. While people assume I’, just avoiding the problem by not facing it, they are mostly wrong. If I had no choice of if the other option was something repugnant, I would go up and say what I had to say and be done with it. Though it does cause me anxiety to speak in front of people, I usually suck it up and do it if I have to.

I have had people call Miss Brightside for quite some time, even if that can be a bit of an exaggeration. I don’t diminish anything that has happened that is bad, but I believe almost anything could be worse. Not that there are any specific examples of this, but I have known a few people who I am close with who also tend to exaggerate the problems. Of course I being the smart aleck that I am have to retort with “It could have been worse.” I really do try to see the glass as half full a great deal of the time. I don’t enjoy being depressed and it seems so exhausting to be negative.

Guess which one I am.

It was a simple question,

That’s how they all begin,

The screaming, the shouting

The you not listening.

One moment your there,

The next you’re not,

My face going red,

My neck getting hot.

You storm off somewhere,

 I sit down in a chair,

Forget what I was doing,

Right now I just don’t care.

How long was I sitting,

Didn’t notice you came back,

While putting back up my walls,

And filling in the cracks.

My patience once again tested,

No point in sitting down,

You just tell me to go do something,

As another mood swing comes around