The HKL Time Vol 1 # 16

story, we see something beautiful: those whom Nature had deprived of so much went on to teach and inspire those to whom Nature had given so much.

The Alchemist

By Paulo Coelho

Anne Sullivan herself had risen from deep darkness. Through her patience, courage, and love, she helped Helen Keller rise to great heights. Helen, in turn, showed the world that obstacles can be overcome. When we look at the courage of these brave souls, our own problems and obstacles can seem so small in comparison.

And Helen, who could not see or hear the world around her, eventually helped the world see something it had overlooked: the immense potential within a human being. This is one of the greatest lessons their story leaves with us: we should never underestimate the power of one compassionate heart.

Their story invites us to look at our own lives with gratitude. We often become discouraged by difficulties that seem over whelming in the moment. We may focus on what we do not have, what has gone wrong, or what we believe we cannot overcome. Yet the lives of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller remind us to look again.

The story of Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller brings us back to gratitude. We give up so easily and sometimes want sympathy, but the story is all about gratitude. When we remain so grateful towards the Divine and towards other people for what we have, we begin to recognize that the very nature of the Divine is to be grateful. Gratitude changes the way we see life, and compassion changes the way we see one another.

(Translated from Khajana Darshan - August 31, 2023, Brampton, ON)

By Gaganpreet Kaur Khela

Book Recommended by Gaganpreet Kaur

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, USA and questions about what might you will find your trea go wrong. The book invites sure.”

us to become quiet enough to recognize the voice within and courageous enough to follow it.

This can be seen as the spiritual center of Santiago’s journey. The treasure he seeks may ap-

“And, when you want pear to be something physical, something, all the uni- but the deeper treasure is what verse conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

he discovers within himself along the way: faith, courage, awareness, love, and a deeper

This well-known line can be understanding of who he is.

understood spiritually not as Santiago also learns that the a promise that everything we world around us can become a desire will happen exactly as teacher when we are willing to we imagine, but as an invitapay attention. The desert, the Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist tion to recognize the ways life wind, the stones, the people he can guide us when we move encounters, and even moments is a simple story with a deeper with sincerity and openness. As of hardship become part of his message. At its heart is the jour-

Santiago takes steps toward his education. He begins to underney of Santiago, a young shepdream, unexpected people and stand what Coelho describes herd who dreams of finding a experiences become part of his as the “Soul of the World,” the treasure near the Egyptian pyrpath. What initially appear to be idea that everything is connectamids. What begins as a search obstacles become teachers.

ed and that there is a deeper unifor something outside himself ty running through creation.

becomes a journey of self-dis-

Another powerful idea is excovery, faith, courage, and inner pressed through the line:

This idea resonates with the transformation.

spiritual understanding that we

Santiago’s journey reminds us “There is only one thing are not separate from one another or from the world around us.

that life often calls us beyond that makes a dream im-

When we become more present, what is familiar and comfort- possible to achieve: the we may begin to notice that life able. He leaves behind what fear of failure.”

is constantly offering opportunihe knows and begins following ties to learn, grow, serve, love, what Coelho calls his “Person-

Fear is one of the greatest barriand return to what is essential.

al Legend”, the unique purpose ers to inner growth. Sometimes or calling that lives within each we remain where we are not

Perhaps the greatest lesson person. Along the way, Santiabecause we are fulfilled, but be of The Alchemist is that the go meets people who teach him cause the unknown feels frightdestination is only part of the important lessons, experiences ening. The Alchemist reminds journey. Santiago travels far in loss and uncertainty, and learns us that courage does not mean search of treasure, only to disthat the journey itself is part of having no fear. It means concover that the journey itself has the treasure.

tinuing to walk even when fear transformed him. He becomes

One of the most meaningful is present.

ideas in the book is the importance of listening to the heart. Santiago learns that the heart may speak quietly, through feel-

The book also speaks beautifully about the language of the heart:

ings, intuition, and moments of inner knowing. Yet listening is “Remember that whernot always easy. The mind can become filled with fear, doubt, ever your heart is, there someone capable of recognizing the treasure when he finally encounters it.

This brings an important question for our own lives: What are we truly searching for? We often search for success, recognition, relationships, se-