Tuesday

The Alchemist, pt 2

When we last discussed this a few of you mentioned that you were grabbing your copy and hoped to be with us this week. However, I'm certain life happened for someone, so this week I'm only going to cover one question that everyone can answer whether they read the book or not.

The old man who reveals himself to be "the king of Salem" tells Santiago that the new book he's just acquired is about the same thing almost all other books are about: "peoples inability to choose their own Personal Legends." This story is so common, he suggests, because people come to believe "the world's greatest lie" -- that we all lose control of our own lives and must let them be controlled by fate.

Questions:

Do you know what your Personal Legend is? If you do and care to share with us, please do.


Have you fallen for the World's Greatest Lie? What steps do you take to ensure that your life isn't affected by it?



FUN IN THE FALL -- Join the writers of Bloggers' Delight Vol. 1 - Love & Redemption in New York City during the weekend of October 12th (Columbus Day Holiday).

Where: 583 Riverside Drive, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10031.
For More Information visit http://www.i-lit.com/

5 comments:

The Dreamy One said...

my personal legend is to help people, and be uplifting....

i have always had to ability to understand people and to be able to empathize....

i have always had the ability to give people hope and to inspire...

i know that is what I was meant to do, to use my life as a testimony to help others....

yeah i feel victim to the greatest lie that going to college would grant me a better future.

i have a bachelors degree that I cant really do anything with unless i would have become a doctor.....

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... I got my book yesterday and started it last night. The first thing I highlighted was that very statment from the K of S. Well the first thing I thought of was that I did indeed buy into the lie and different points of my life. I have been gaining back that personal legend as well.

Mine is to write, teach, and speak for a living. I have started in terms of starting my book, and doing my blog. Before the blog I would simply write articles and send them out on an email list. I love to teach and encourage people and I continue to do that through officiating basketball games for instance. I get paid to officiate, and yet it's a self employed field. I have to make contacts and network just to be chosen to do these games where I can reach the children. So far I have done over 300 games since Jan 26th of 2008. Thats a lot of work for a first year official. So that has been a blessing and a way to get to know a lot of great people. I continue to write, and reach out to as many as I can to let them know how I am interested in serving. I haven't thought so much about how to negotiate the monetary parts of other areas not having to do with basketball, but I continue to work the craft and stay active.

Unknown said...

I am going to answer #2.

Should I get personal?

The greatest lis is the lie I told myself and had (sometimes still) believed for years.

That some people are meant to suffer. Never to be happy. Never to love. Never to have good things happen to them. To live a life of pain and sadness. To accept what path they were born on.

I still battle these feelings but, I know that these things are not true.

Let's see how did I get those thoughts. . .
Abandoned by my mother. Hated by her family. Abused (all three) by my crazy, strict, mean, gospel preaching father.
So, I jump into a 10 year marriage with a man who was drinking, coking, and partying his life away and everything we had.
And I sat around and convinced myself that is my life.

One night I was sitting on the bed watching my children sleep. My father had died a few months ago and I felt free. Weird.
Then, I thought about how my ex was out once again and would be home sometime in the morning or afternoon. And that I am not going to allow my daughter to think this is how things should be or my son to think that is how he should be.
I am too wonderful and I need to get up and go or roll over and die.

So, here I am working on that lie.

p.s. I love how you have put the "pay attention to this date all you literacy challenged people" on the bottom of your post.
*sighs loudly*

Mizrepresent said...

Do you know what your personal legend is?

-To fulfill my writing dreams, publishing dreams and wishes, to leave the world with a novel that will shake the very fabric of this earth and remain a classic long after i am gone.

-To love and give to my family, my friends, my community in a way that is is not demanded of me, but just because.

-To see my people rise up to be who they are meant to be, to see the scales of justice balanced, to witness true love amongst the nations, to see us come together like not ever before...to be apart of it all, risking life and limb to make it happen.

-To be remembered as someone who never gave up, never stopped trying, never let a evil word deter me, nor an evil deed, a person who trusted in the lord, who served God, who shared her testimony, who lived her life according to his will, who loved life, loved people, loved his grace, who shared, gave, and literally and ultimately and finally loved herself unconditionally.

Rich Fitzgerald said...

Reading these testimonies has put a smile on my face. We are all destined for greatness. Our only job is to believe.