Gold, Panacea, Longevity

The levantre (wind) increased in intensity. Here I am, between my flock and my treasure, the boy thought. He had to choose between something he had become accustomed to and something he wanted to have. (The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho)

A few months ago my youngest son said to me “Mom you have to read this book its great”

When I questioned him on what the book was about he tried to explain but finally said he could not give me an explanation that did the book justice and that I would just have to read it.

Well as is so often the case I did not read the book at that time, I had the holidays coming up. I was working a lot of days (nights). I had journals and magazines I needed to catch up on not to mention I still had not finished the trim around the new flooring I had put in last year. I just did not have time to read.

Before Christmas break I was talking to my son’s English teacher and told her how impressed my son had been with the book’s she had picked out for the class to read and how much he liked that particular book. Well she asked me if I had ever read it. Of course I had not and of course she offered to send it home with my son so I could read it over the holidays. I knew I would not have time but I accepted anyway. There was no way I was going to say no to an English teacher.

The two-week Christmas break came and went and still I had not had the time to read a 175 page double spaced book with an introduction by the author.

Yesterday (Tuesday) was grand-mom day. I was taking my mom to Wal-Mart and then to her doctors appointment and then to run some errands. I had no intention of going into Wally-World. I planed on sitting in the car for the 2 or so hours that she was in the store riding the little motorized shopping scooter. To pass the time I planed to catch up on some reading. I figured I would start with the book. I finished 75 pages in the first 1-½ hours. I started out speed-reading but slowed down and even reread parts of it to be sure what I read sunk in. I liked the characters, I liked the writing style and I liked the story and I thought to myself: the next time my son is so adamant about me reading a book I will do it sooner rather than later. I still have 25 pages to read and I hope the end is not a letdown but even if the end is not great the journey has been. I recommend that any that read this rant read “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

(To me the partial paragraph at the beginning of this entry explains the basic plot of the book)