The past Saturday, I made out my eighteen revolutions around the sun. That is, I just turned into an adult. Being an adolescent before that, I had always looked forward to this moment – a day that would gift me all the privileges of someone who has come of age.
However, the most remarkable thing about that day was something else: another gift I got on this occasion.
When I was in seventh grade, I had got a copy of The Alchemist, by the renowned spiritual author, Paulo Coelho. Just like all those who read this masterpiece of literature and storytelling, I was left mesmerized by the story of the shepherd boy who dreams of finding a treasure in the pyramids of Egypt and just with this dream in mind, and with the counsels of an “alchemist”, reaches the terminus, only to find that his treasure lies at the place where he had dreamed about it! The book and its beautiful story carries this cherished message that one can find his treasure at his doorstep.
So, by the bye, I basked in the story, and in the years to come, delighted in reading the unparalleled book multiple times.
Before long, I also read off many other books by the same spectacular author, Manual of the Warrior of Light and Winner Stands Alone among others. Every idea of these books resonated with me, and as years passed by, I loved the author more and more.
Returning to the present, I recollect the day it was my birthday. Akin to every morning, I picked up the newspaper, leaved through the sheets, skimming through headlines and pictures, and around the middle of it, I recalled it was a Saturday and there would be a page devoted to books and reviews.
The surprise lay right at this very page.
When I reached the middle, the right-hand-side page, like any other Saturday, featured many books … with one book occupying most of the middle. I read the title, “The way of the bow”, which was followed by an excerpt from the respective book. In the middle of the bottom stood a little picture of a book with a pleasant green cover. It read: The Archer, Paulo Coelho.
Joy knowing no bounds, I jumped from my seat and clapped hands to my mouth.
Excerpt from a new book by the author who was one of my favorites, and that too on my birthday! This surely was like a piece from heaven.
I fondly read the excerpt, really loved it, and saved a clipping of it in a folder of things that gave me happiness – for certainly it was something that had made my birthday memorable.
Whether this was a coincidence or part of a bigger plan, who knows. What I know, for sure, is that this memory is going to go far with me as one of my most memorable days in life, and whenever I am going to have a backlash of this day, I am going to giggle and beam with my best smile.
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