More Than Words by Joseph

More Than Words by Joseph - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

“It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” Every person is born with the potential to achieve their dreams; only a few actually live it. We all have dreams of love, success, fortune, riches, or happiness. Day after day, the “ten-year dream” dies away because life gets too hard to handle, people give in, and finally they just accept their new version of reality. Their dream becomes lost along with their spirit. I have always wanted to be successful enough to take care of my family and live a happy life. My favorite book, The Alchemist, by Paul Coelho, has opened my heart to believe that my dream will happen.

The story begins with a young shepherd boy who has visions of a treasure near the Pyramids of Giza. The vision is so strong, that to reach these riches, the young boy is compelled to sell his sheep, take all his money, and travel to Egypt from Andalusia. He suffers many trials along the way while trekking across the Sahara Desert. A new friend, he thought could be trusted, robs him, and he ends up working in a crystal store for about a year just to try to recoup his savings. He never gives up on his dream, though. The vision is far too compelling; the dream, too big. Therefore, he sets out again on his journey and encounters the Alchemist. The Alchemist is wise and shares his wisdom with the young boy. He teaches him lessons about life and talks with him about never giving up on that for which he believes and hopes. The young boy suffers many more hardships on the path towards achieving what he knows his heart desires, but in the end, he finds his treasure.

I fell in love with this book because I felt as if I were the shepherd in search of a dream. Prior to reading this book, I knew that with success, comes struggle. I was not, however, aware of just how intensive, personal, and real those struggles could become. Reading The Alchemist truly opened my eyes to the asperity of the world around me. I believe it can do the same for those blind to the tough reality of the world, and to the level of dogged tenacity needed to turn dreams into realities. One of the passages from the book eludes to the fact that when someone gives up on a dream, it is still there, for years even, in the back of their mind. However, eventually the desire and the want to pursue anything great dissipates and the dream is forever gone. Until I reached this point in the reading, the vision of my life, as a whole, was still somewhat unclear. Then, I came across the phrase that magnified the desires within me: “Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” Now, I am truly inspired to follow my dreams and do what I love for the rest of my life. No excuses, no doubts, no turning back.

Of all the books, I have enjoyed, none has influenced my life to the extent of Paul Coelho’s The Alchemist. Anyone seeking to live a life free of doubt with a burning desire to chase after that which they love should read this book. The lessons taught about life are paramount and full of the substance of the Earth and Universe, which feeds the brain. Step out boldly, and remember, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”