The Moment It seems that the moment for me that changed everything for the worse also changed everything for the better. December 4th, 2000 my 20 year old son was stabbed in a tourist area of Vancouver by a 39 year old crackhead. He was in a drug induced coma for 21 days and during that time the medical staff at the hospital kept telling me that Jeremy would not live and if he did then he would likely be pluralized or brain dead from lack of oxygen. (due to profuse loss of blood)
I never gave up my faith and for some reason knew that he would be fine. I kept fighting with my family and the staff to keep him on life support and to bring him out of the coma by reducing the medications. I had a confidence and peace that he was here on this earth to serve a purpose and that job had not yet been done.
Since his recovery, which has been long and painful, I have learned many important lessons. No longer am I a prisoner to material possessions, they unlike people can always be replaced. I live each day with serious intent to create a positive impact and feel driven to give of my time and expertise to others.
I don't care about money or fame, I put my energies into preserving mankind and the environment. So the most terrifying moment of my life has lead to the the most glorious existence and given me a purpose that is clear.
Alison Richards
· 1 year ago
note: pluralized should read "paralyzed"
Uku
· 1 year ago
Paulo, thank you for this important subject.
I tend to think that life is full of these turning points; when something bad happens, it can turn to good and vice versa. Therefore, I think most important is to try to focus in this present moment and try to do one's best for this present moment. Past is past and we can learn something from past. Future isn't here right now but we can do something in this present moment for better future. Therefore, I think every moment, just as they are, are turning points.
With palms together, Uku
Sefer JAN
· 1 year ago
Moment is the space-trap of human being. We cannot go back to the past second and we cannot go forward to the next. The only thing we have is the moment we live/exist in. Thats why we have to know the value of the small moment, which keeps great opportunities for us ;-)
Cristina
· 1 year ago
when I tried to study graphology. First I didn't believe in it, but my parents went on repeating that I was the right person to study that subject. My lucky star, or whatever else I don't know, helped me and I was successful at the entrance examination, even if I hadn't studied anything. I decided to stop before the first examination of the year, but then I met my Professor (a sort of the monk described in the Pilgrimage in Roncesvalle), and, afer his lesson he came to me and he told me everything about: my character; the caracter of my parents and the caracter of my sister. In that moment I thought I thoug:"If you've been able to do it I also can do it". I made my choice. I could choose a different way, I could say to my Professor :you've been lucky or something else. I didn't . I've found my way, even if the path is still long. have a nice day
Catherine
· 1 year ago
My moment came so very early on in life: around the age of five. Yet so very clear .. because it was a defining moment; and I realised that because of the context that my reaction was as important in that moment. My reaction would define whether pain won over, struggle existed, chaos reign... or, if I allowed and was willing... for unity to be nurtured, along with support, hope, et al.
The feeling that swept through me was of overwhelming acceptance of the situation and of my role from then on. Luckily, my answer seemed to come from somewhere deep within and so I answered compassionately. It was not a conscious decision or thought... it came from somewhere almost eternal, ancient, healing... so perhaps God or the heart?!
However, I have had other less impacting moments in life since then... and I regret always allowing doubt to enter before action is taken.
Crises can bring out the best in ourselves; a moment of intense clarity where we are not held back to respond. I do also gain comfort and hope from that moment, since I realised early of the potential ... and ease for which true emotional response can be manifest.
cris Martins
· 1 year ago
Yes, actually in my case I got in love for a man 20 years older than me and I met him in China. He is israeli and I am brazilian, so, as he had a good job and kids in Israel I took a decision to move to Israel and live with him. It changed everything. All my life . I had an incredible job, I am fashion designer and I got the job of dreams. Suddenlly, when I arrived in Israel, after few months of extase with all the new country, I got myself depressive and without a view of my future in life. I lose friends, I lose my place at my mom`s house (1cause she didn`t agree with my attitude). I found myself alone. I got desperate and I past many days from morning `til nigth in the bed, crying....But, something change me inside. And The same situation I can say that, Change my life for better forever. After few month sin this situation. I started to run after words to read, and I start found out the real reason for life. At least my life. I found out that, here alone, I could find myself clearlly. What is the most pure essence of myself. And alone? All of us, we are alone. people around us come and go. They are partners for the moments in our life. Like this, today, I enjoy myself and I enjoy much more every person cross in front of me. I know they they are here now, but one day, they go so....I enjoy my moments as much as I can.
Spiritwolf
· 1 year ago
I was dying, 2 days before christmas. I was rushed to the ER and I time was running out. I was having really bad habits, a careles life. I'm not a spiritual man, I don't believe in any god or supreme being whatsoever, but all the people I loved was with me at that moment and swore to them that if the doctors could save me, I would change my life and start giving back to people. 6 hours later, the doctor told me I was as healthy as I could be. it was all in my mind. now, 4 years later I kept my promise. I "cured" my head, found joy in life and I live it seriously. I give when I can and try to make a better world one day at the time. My "moment" was that day, when I KNEW I was dying.
Shehzad Ali
· 1 year ago
I used to work in a school as an accountant cum cashier back in 2004. i worked there for more than 4 year with sincerity and devotion.
I supposed to deposit cash in bank daily. but i was little casual in this matter and used to leave cash in my locked drawer and deposit it next day.
On day some one(from staff or management) broke that drawer and took money. the management blamed me for this. these were very difficult days. i had to pay all money which was 3 times more than my salary, and had to leave that job. i was jobless, and was thinking that all my respect and honor has gone.
But after few time, this negative incident started to give me so much positive energy and motivation.
I decided that i will prove these people wrong. i worked hard in my graduation studies (i started my study after 5 years gap).
Now after 4 years, i am a Software Engineer, have a degree and few valuable international certifications. Currently My main job is to teach high level courses like OCP(Oracle Certified Professional). And Getting more than 4 times i used to get in 2004. with so much respect and honor in my family, friends, workplace & every where.
if i look back, i realize that, every thing happened was part of divine planning. script has been written and every one probably act accordingly.
this was a turning moment, which changed every thing, for few year it looked worst time. but now i thing it was for better.
Jessica
· 1 year ago
Hi again Paulo,
Thank you for talking about this subject. I think that accident and such things happens in every mans life, but the important thing is what we learn from it. As you say some moment change your life forever, maybe it seems like the worst thing that ever had happened at first and you can´t see the divine in that situation. But maybe there is a hidding blessing in that situation also? I feel so anyway !!! We can learn something from it. For me I think it is that I have to fullfill my life purpose and not wait for something to happen. I have to take action even thought I don´t know the result yet. Let the control go and just spread my wings and fly.
This weak has been a lot of laughter, excitement, miracles for example in the reiki master course. And also a lot of sorrow, first the accident that I was the second man on site to, I could have ended up in the accident if I didn´t forgot a paper at home and turn around, this took me 2 minutes extra. Then yesterday night I also got caught in a snowstrom on the way home from the reiki course(the bus didn´t came). That made me thinking of smashing a window in a store to get some heat because I couldn´t felt my feet anymore, then my fiance turned up in the last minute, and on the way home we picked up a men that had to walk because that the bus didn´t show up, he was soo grateful. So from one emotion to another. I have felt like I´m in a movie, is unreal in a way, things just happens and I have to react.
But I have learned that we have to live our life to the fullest and not just let it pass us by!!!!
We also have to take care of each other sometimes we need help, like the men in the accident and the men walking in the snowstorm. Next time it maybe me that need help.
Love Jessica
Nia Wind
· 1 year ago
13.12.2004 1 hour left the moment which changed my life...
short words to this: my dreams (not daydreams-night dreams) got real, as I looked in the eyes of the prophesy... i run away, but it changed my life completly.. cause i knew... those dreams, i have and will have.. get real. not every time, but i know them, if they come into my life and rule it. there, i found to myself. My mirrow, which i thought is a dream, got real. but i had to left and wait. also, from this moment on, i know where i will go when i am death from where i come (were created from) also..who is the voice in my soul, who speaks with me and i didnt understand
so... enough.. ;-)
you see... still a moment which changed my life
Nia
Nia Wind
· 1 year ago
arrgghh...
hehe..so is it with dates...
it was the 11.12.2004 ;-)
Adina
· 1 year ago
Hello,
I am living for "the moment".The moment is the origin of your future evolution. Some of us sleep in this life or never learned how to see "the moments",or did not have the courage to catch it and see what follows next.Some are so afraid of new. The moment brings the new in your life.
My advise for young people mostly is never loose a chanse to become a better person or to obtain a better life.
I knew 3 years ago that is time for my life to change completelly, in a better way. In just 2 weeks I've seen al my dreams (and impossible dreams)becoming true. And I had to wait for "the moment" 30 years. The moment I was 30, all my dreams become true.All of them, just like that.Because I tried never to loose my faith.
So open your eyes. "The moments" are everywhere.And the BIG ones come for sure.Just wait a bit.Don't push destinity,just help it nicelly.
Adina :)
Savita Vega
· 1 year ago
It makes me shutter to wake up and find this post on your blog this morning, as I just experienced a moment last night, in the middle of the night, that I would only describe as "a turning point," although I cannot yet speculate as to its eventual import in my life.
Going back, first, seven years ago, about this time of year: I was three months pregnant with my daughter when her father left - when he realized that he was not going to be able to talk me into having the abortion he insisted that I MUST have. At this point, he admitted that he was seeing several other women, and was, in fact, already living part-time with one of them. It was a clean break - from that moment forth, no further words were exchanged, except official notification of her birth, which he ignored.
Somehow, when all of this happened, I knew that the pain that I felt was a luxury that I could not afford at that time. I was afraid that my own grief would somehow bring harm to the developing child. So, within twenty-four hours of his announcement - an ultimatum really: "either you have the abortion, or I'm leaving" - I ceased to cry and never shed another tear over the matter. I knew that I had to be stronger than that. I had made my decision - I had made my choice between the man I loved and his child, yet to be born (although, honestly, it wasn't a difficult choice at all). At any rate, once I made that choice, I knew I had to be strong enough to go it alone. I knew that I could not afford to look back in regret, could not afford a single moment of grief. I had to be happy, and I was. For the next six months, I enjoyed a blessed pregnancy, and then a miraculous delivery. Even after my daughter was born, it seemed that angels swarmed in the air above our heads: she never cried, she always, always slept through the night, with the exception of the very first night after she was born.
In essence, however, I had lost the man that I loved (as much of a blessing as that may have been) and never had the chance to grieve over that loss. I just had to be "okay" instantaneously, and I was. However, and perhaps as a result of these circumstances, something began to happen that I wasn't really aware of for a very long time, not until very recently: Even after my daughter was a little older and I should have, perhaps, turned my mind again to dating; I didn't, I couldn't. No matter who came along, no matter if the prince of the kingdom strode my way, I was always "too busy" or, otherwise, he was "too young" or "too old," "too short" or "too tall," too this or too that - always there was some excuse on my part not to engage too deeply in thoughts of romance. After all, I had a daughter to raise, and that was my biggest excuse of all: I was a mother, not a lover, too engaged in raising my daughter to allow any man to enter very deeply into our lives.
For seven years I have lived my life with blinders on, oblivious if any man were to turn his attentions my way. Thus I have lived my life safely barricaded behind a barrage of excuses, reasons not to engage in anything even remotely resembling a romantic relationship at all. Then last night, in the middle of the night, I woke up. This is very unusual for me, as generally I sleep undisturbed from the moment I lay my head on the pillow until time to arise. I was still half asleep, I think, until I found myself standing before the bathroom mirror, staring at my own reflection. Someone inside of me was speaking, and I was listening, almost as though I had been listening to a stranger, or someone standing outside of me, behind me. "This is it!" this voice announced. "Look at yourself! It is now or never. Either you let go of your fears, or you live the rest of your life alone. This is the moment you must decide." And then I said, "Okay, you're right. I give. No more fear." And that was it. I turned around and walked back to the bed, lay down, and fell back asleep instantly.
Yesterday was my birthday. I just turned 42. Maybe that had something to do with it, but it didn't feel like an important birthday, didn't seem like a significant day at all. Not until last night, in the middle of the night, when I awoke and faced this voice that told me: This is the moment of decision. This is a turning point in your life.
So, when I woke up, turned on the computer, and saw this post, I can hardly describe what I felt. Shock? Surprise? Those words don't even come close. Electrified? That comes nearer to the feeling - like a cord has been plugged in somewhere, one that I didn't even realize had been knocked loose, and now, for the first time in a very long while, this electrical current is running through my life, the current of unleashed possibility.
----- Now, as for the "negative" turning point in my life, the turn for the worst:
Maybe it was when I was thirteen and my mom tried to enroll me in a very good Catholic school - a school where I might actually have learned something - but, at the last minute, I refused to go, when I learned that we had to wear uniforms.
Maybe it was when I was sixteen, and my mom wanted me to move with her to the Cayman Islands, which were only just beginning to undergo development. Again, I refused, simply because I was a teenager and I didn't want to leave behind everyone and everything I knew.
Maybe it was when I was in my mid-twenties, lying on a beach in Southern Mexico - after having lived in Mexico for a year already - and someone came along and said: "You can't stay here forever. Someday you have to go home." I listened, and I packed my bags and I went back to "reality" as I had always known it.
But then, who knows? I really don't like to look back at my life in regret, thinking "Oh, if things had only been different...." I have no way of knowing how things would have turned out, or why the universe guided me to take the path I chose.
Perhaps if I had gone to that Catholic school, I would have stayed focused on my studies, become very well educated and gone directly on to an excellent university, but perhaps I would have also developed a distaste for all things spiritual, a hatred of the sacred.
Perhaps if we had moved to the Cayman Islands as my mom proposed, I would have met many young people from many diverse backgrounds, and thereby developed early on a more comprehensive knowledge of the world. But I have always loved to swim and never had a fear of the water: perhaps I would have drowned in the surf before reaching adulthood.
And that meeting in Mexico that brought an abrupt end to my foray into what can only be described as "some other realm" beyond time and space, beyond the reality of this world. Well, if I hadn't been drawn back when I was, I might have fallen off the edge of the world, either metaphorically, or in actuality. I might have lost touch completely with what we term as everyday "reality," and thereafter been unable to return. Otherwise, I might have been in a bus accident - common, particularly in the parts of Mexico where I was wandering about - gone off the edge, and met my end at the bottom of a cliff.
So, you see, I don't like to look back in regret, because what looks like a pitfall, a mistake or a turn for the worst, from here where I stand now, might actually have been a blessing in disguise. I am, at this moment in my life, precisely where I am supposed to be. (I have to believe this, because I can only act in the present, and only upon the situation as it stands. Only in the reality of the here and now do I maintain my freedom of will.) If I could go back and change one single thing, I wouldn't be where I am now - where I am supposed to be. I would be somewhere else, and then I would be trapped someplace where I am not supposed to be, in circumstances which I would have no freedom to change.
It is so important - crucial - to stay rooted in the here and now. Never to regret.
But I have so enjoyed this post. Thank you, Paulo.
Savita
Jessica
· 1 year ago
I forgot one important thing.... ;-)
I almost forgot the time when I fell down from a tree on a rock below. The fall was approximate 2 meters and I saw myself from above lying on the ground ... in the next moment I was back into my body but I don´t remember much was happened next because I had a severe brain concussion and was lying in a hospital for a while. But that changed my perpective on life and death and I know for myself there is a life after death.
But we have to live "this" life to the fullest. Even though we have to fight real hard sometimes. We need faith and to hang in there and support each other true the dark times. Shared burden half burden. Shared luck double luck !!!
Love Jessica
Carmen Larisa
· 1 year ago
Sometimes things change for the better when we are least expecting it... It was my case too, when something apparently bad proved to be in fact, a push for me to start seeing things from a different perspective. Maybe if life didn't seem so difficult back then, I wouldn't have searched mySelf, the Spirit, the Self-Realization so soon and I couldn't have helped others to change their attitudes for the better. The turning point in my life was when I was 25 and discovered Sahaja Yoga, apparently by mistake, I was a non-meditative type of person, meaning that I had a wrong opinion about yoga and wouldn't think in a million years that I would do such a thing and more, enjoying it so much! Now I understand that there is no religion better than other, in fact, even though I used to feel that the Orthdox religion in which I was born was the best. Now I am convinced that the only true religion is LOVE, God's infinite, unconditional love. Now after about three years I feel as being born again and I mean it, life seems so different now. I've always been optimistic but now I feel having a direct connection to Universal Energy, I found God inside my heart and mind and in others too, feeling like being at last at home. Everyday I discover something new, a tiny detail which proves that God is not confined in a certain place but everywhere. I really don't identify with the person I was before and looking back I feel like smiling... I know that evolution is a process and it takes lots of patience, perseverance and hope to go on but it is worth every single effort. The more we change ourselves for the better, the more the world becomes a better place because we are parts of the world and then, the whole body of the world will be changed for the better.
Lots of love and appreciation, Carmen Larisa
Diego
· 1 year ago
For worse: when i was about 3 years old and i had some of my father's nose medicine. I almost died.
For better: when i decided not to follow people because of our friendship, but, just when i felt touched to do it.
:D
Alexandra
· 1 year ago
I can say everything changed for better after revolution took place.I started to put in practise dreams i thought they were impossible,almost everything I desired become true.I starte to practise Karate,that gived me self confidence,I made many courses,faculty.I worked for an Italian company,so I traveled and saw beautiful placed.I had nice things,a lover,I bought my house and helped my family.Now I write on the blog of my favourite writer.I guess I am little bit lucky.....
Alexandra
· 1 year ago
Well,I will say the worst one.At age of 16 I was very depressed.I tried to kill myself.Now I am very ashame.But God helped me,and I am grateful.Hope I will never lose faith anymore.Please my friends,forgive me.
Yajna
· 1 year ago
Dearest Paulo and Friends,
Allow me to simply say what I've realised: "In every moment I define who I am..."
Thank you for being Yajna
Street Punk
· 1 year ago
Well, the moment that change my life, when my grandfather left my home with other girl, leaving my grandmother, my mother, and I (10 years old) alone in the house. the other moment, was when my girlfriend got into a fight with the father of her daugther, and when we need help to fight, all my so call friend turn their backs, teaching me and my girlfriend that we couldn't trust anyone even us.
Alan in the UK
· 1 year ago
Hi Paulo and Everyone,
There are many turning points in a life, each one a nodal point of balance between that which was before and that which is to come.
Yet in the eternal now they are ever resident and poignant, here in the now they act as influence, a river flowing in and advising.
The beginning of my journey back and towards that which I am and may yet become was many years ago now.
I sat on a beach in Negril in Jamaica telling a drug dealer that all life could be explained by rational science and the second law of thermodynamics. He looked at me, through me and said that I did not believe what I was saying. I argued. But I knew; and so did he.
Right there and right then, something changed. It is resident now, a part of the eternal now that is in me as I journey onwards.
A few days later, I climbed the Blue Mountain and saw the wonder of a dawn that demonstrated all the glory of manifestation and in stark contrast to the very hollowness of my own words.
Boy how I resisted after that. Yet sooner or later we all have to listen to the emanations of our heart and not our mind.
I wish for everyone a wonder-full journey and pray that no one else is QUITE as stubborn as me.
Here in the middle earth, and in the bucolic shire, it is cold and windy. In our fireplace downstairs there is a fire burning to take away the chill of the night. And we, we Hobbits must stand firm in the darkness for it is only through us that the will of Mordor can be over come.
So this night and in the time where Christmas approaches, I reach deep into my heart and find there a candle. With this candle I give out to you all my love and all my warmth which is the expression of my inner most predilection and my compassion and love for us all, mankind.
You and I are one. Let’s play pass the parcel.
With all my love and all my warmth and all my hope for a better way of being,
Alan
amor
· 1 year ago
Hoy. Hoy es un gran día porque he aprendido de los Grandes lo que tenía que aprender y sé que me quedan muchas cosas por aprender. Eso significa que mi vida tiene sentido. A parte de eso hoy aún sigo creyendo en mis posibilidades. Creo que puedo aportar muchas cosas buenas al mundo y que el mundo puede aportarme tantas o más como las que yo aporte. Sino creo esto estoy muerta.He leído tu biografía y he visto que has sido un hombre arriesgado, pero leal a tu corazón. Tus tentaciones son las tentaciones de todos los hombres, bravo por tí, otros se quedan debajo de la mesa sin vivir. Te admiro por ir más allá y te mando mis bendiciones. Hay cosas que no les gusta leer a la gente ni a mi, pero todos somos de carne y hueso y como tú muy bien dices, no hay nada escrito nuevo bajo el sol. ¿Mi punto de inflexión? No tengo uno, tengo muchos, pero sí puedo decirte que hoy estoy bien, mejor que hace unos años y que tengo un proyecto brillante y precioso en mi cabeza en el cual creo profundamente. Me faltará valor para seguir con él, pero sacaré el valor que me falte de debajo de las piedras. Respecto al resto, creo en el Amor pese a todos los palos que me he llevado. Quien no cree en el Amor está muerto. Yo no quiero morir.ç
Eres un ejemplo en mi Vida. Mi vida no está llena de ejemplos, pero tú formas parte de los pocos que lo forman.
Eres mi Guerrero de la Luz. Brillas mi firmamento.
Amor.
Amor
· 1 year ago
Por cierto, te envidio. Sé que la envidia es mala pero no puedo remediarla. Siento que quiero todo el Amor que recibes. La gente te adora y yo quiero que la gente me adore a mi también. Eres mi Inspirador. Igual soy una sinverguenza por desear lo que tienes, pero no lo puedo evitar, quiero sentir el Éxtasis. Quiero volar. Y quiero sentirme bien conmigo misma.
Eres mi estrella que brilla en cielo. Y algún día seré como Tú.
Palabrita. O como tú dividido en dos. Menos no. Creo en el Amor, porque sino creo en el Amor estoy muerta.
TQ. Y te mando un abrazo azul. Con respeto, y mucha Admiración.
Lynne
· 1 year ago
I am enjoying reading your posts! I love hearing these personal experiences that evidence the benevolent way of the Universe in its efforts to guide us. Over & over, in the words written here, I hear how our difficulties serve to bring us to greater awareness and peace - to better lives and closer connections with others. OR not.
We always have the choice ... will we choose to see our difficult challenge as being for or against us? We get to decide whether to view life as victims, at the mercy of a painful event -or to see those same life events as messengers that have come to guide and shape us for the better. When we see the Universe as a helpful, friendly place we can believe that even "bad times" are designed to grow us.
A significant turning point came for me on Dec. 16, 2006 when I realized that liver disease was taking me down fast. That day I heard a distinct inner prompting urging me to apply the resources I'd gathered from years of study & travel towards my own healing. I started a daily practice that day that has rejuvenated and healed body and mind. I haven't looked back since.
Adversity is such a teacher for me. Every hardship I've faced has turned out to be tailor-made to fit ... designed to show me the obstacles in my thinking and actions that are blocking me -in that moment- from emotional & spiritual freedom.
Thanks for these thought invoking posts, Paulo. Blessings, Lynne
Amor
· 1 year ago
Dios te quiere. Eres puro.
Gracias de Corazón.
Tania
· 1 year ago
I guess for me the worst was when I was in my first marriage ,it was a very violent and strange experience to be in -a bit like sleeping with the enemy ..but the best was when I became free from this situation which was not easy at all ,after finding my way and a place to stay ,I had no money ,no home at the time ,was in hiding -I thought at that moment could life possibly get any worse ..living in fear that I could end up dead ,if my husband found me .I prayed day and night on the floor in my kitchen -for things to be better ,safe and it was then I had a vision - a sign ,as I had said to God if this is it then I don't want to live anymore -show me things will be better for me in time ..and well it was the beginning of a whole new life from that moment on - Blessings Tania
Marie
· 1 year ago
First of all, thank you for those whove shared their life experiences..it inspires and gives me strength.
** It seems to me that the turning points in my young life are always followed by tears. I've led a sheltered life and because of this, drastic changes are usually accepted with fear, resignation and readjustment.
1. 10 Years Ago / I was 18 and I just graduated from High School. To celebrate, my cousins and I vacationed at a friends' beach house. I was having a grand time and then, I got a phone call. My father called from the US to tell me that I am to live in the US in 2 weeks. I cried for days - I will be away from everything I know. Most of all, I was afraid to be away from my friends. It took me about 2 years to adjust, 6 years to form true friendship. In the end, I learned a lot about myseld and cannot imagine living in Manila again.
2. Last Year / I was 27 and very infatuated. I can say its as close to having my heart broken after sheltering it for so many years. The turning point was a lie I discovered by accident and the feeling of betrayal. I realized that I deserve so much more.
3. A month ago / I am 28 and laid-off. I came to work for the Mortgage Industry for the past 4 years by accident - I just took whatever job out of College. My turning point was the day my company announced that the company will be shut down come 2009. I'm given a chance to start over and find my Purpose. I must admit..I am scared. I need to let go of my fears and just focus on my goal.
Thank you Mr. Coelho for being an inspiration.
Marie-Christine
· 1 year ago
Thought about commiting Hara Kiri - nah ! Too stubborn for that. I know good things will eventually turn up for the better.
At the end of the day, it is all about you, you realize that you do not have to justify anything to anybody and boy! Do you feel good about that!
In my worse times, I kept reading one of your e-cards,Paulo, "You either carry your mission forward or your defend yourself. You are aware, I know that. What you are doing is more important than how you are seen by other people. Do you agree?"
I made it personal and it worked. Love and peace xxxx
Lisa
· 1 year ago
My earliest and most dramatic turning point was as a young teenager - it's as vivid today as it was 14 years ago!
I always idolised my mother - she had a family, she worked full time, she ran the house and was always in charge of her life. There was nothing she couldn't do, no question she couldn't answer!
One day my sister and I were shopping with my mum and she seazed up, drink in hand and fell to the floor having a fit - i've never been so scared in my life, my perfect, reliable mother was not in control for the first time in my entire life.
It was at that point that I realised even the most concrete parts of your life may not be there forever and you need to take out insurance against it. So I've made sure that the pillars of my life are many and varied and that I am able to stand alone and take charge of my life should those pillars fail me.
Everyone has a duty to find their inner strength and stand up alone at some point - test their abilities to come up against tough situations and get through them.
Mirela
· 1 year ago
hello, paolo!
i think this quote by anais nin sums up my experience nicely: "and the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
i fell in love with a guy who was much older than me. that being the main reason, among other things, my family did not agree with our relationship. after about six months of suffering for all of us, i decided to move away and live with him. it came to me suddenly...one night, after my dance practice, sitting in the car in front of the house, i decided to do it.
months of silence passed.
now, a little over a year ago, i am still with the love of my life. my family calmed down a bit, but there are still hard feelings. hopefully, they will get over it one day.
it was just easier to leave everything/everybody and start a new life.
i am a much stronger person for it.
'til next time
mirela :-)
lil_girl
· 1 year ago
For someone who practically lived life either holding on to the past or looking forward into the future, I think I would have to say that I am at the point in my life right now that I quit waiting for the "right moment". I've realized that there's no such thing as "the right moment". Life is in every moment and it's all up to me to make the most of it.
Soleahda
· 1 year ago
I have asked myself once, when I was reflecting on how my life has turned out so far, 'How does one begin telling the story of one's life?' Do you begin with your defining moment that changed you or do you begin with the moments that lead up to that? In my 24 years, my defining moment all started with a very painful breakup.
I have been with someone for almost six years. We were both very young when we got together and so we sort of grew up together. At the beginning, we were used to being together almost everyday since we attended the same university and were attending the same classes. (That's how we met anyway) Then after a year or so, his parents sent him overseas to study. It was painful but I had a choice to make there and then. Either to end the relationship or to go through with it will all the high hopes of an 18 year old, I obviously went for the latter thinking he'll be back in 2 years time. He went home for holidays but that was it. The rest of the year we had to settle with phone calls, text messages, emails, chats...
Then one day, the 2nd year came but with some bad news (at least for me). His parents want him to continue his university studies there which would mean another 3 to 4 years. I was heartbroken. At that time I was reading 'By the River Piedra..' and I remember reading the following passages:
"If pain must come, may it come quickly. Because I have a life to live, and I need to live it in the best way possible. If he has to make a choice, may he make it now. Then I will either wait for him or forget him. Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing what to do is the worst kind of suffering."
I was exactly in that same situation. At that time, I did not know what to do. I've already been with him for four years and have already done so much and sacrificed so much but at the same time, I had everything going for in my life at that point as well. I just finished my degree with flying colors. I had wonderful offers, I felt like everything was just within my reach. But because I loved him, I decided to put my life on hold and to follow him overseas. I knew I had to make the sacrifice, I knew I couldn't ask him to make any sacrifice because I knew that it was a great opportunity for him. So I went but could only stay for 6 months. I did everything I could do extend my stay but there are rules to follow.
When I came back home, he told me that the plans have changed once more, and this time he's coming home too. And after one month, he was home. But that was when things started to get ugly. He seemed different until 8 months after, he broke up with me via phone call saying his parents want him to go back abroad and continue Uni.
My immediate reaction was to get mad, I wanted to blame someone. I couldn't understand the turn of events especially when I felt like I did everything I was supposed to do. I lost a lot of weight in just a week. I couldn't do anything, normal things were excruciating for my body. I never thought that someone could actually hurt that much, that way. I had no "plans", I didn't know what to do with my life. That relationship was all I knew.
2008 came and I was feeling better. I was feeling bright and excited. I was very hopeful. I felt like it was going to be my year. I went to work abroad, because I said I wanted to be independent. To prove that I can make it on my own but deep down I knew, I left because I couldn't stand being back home. I felt trapped in a familiar place where everything seems to remind of my 'old' life. I wanted a physical change and so off I went. Hopeful, positive, feeling over the cloud. But it didn't turn out the way I quite imagined it. I got depressed, I was extremely exhausted from my very demanding job, the culture there treated women very differently, and I was alone. I would secretly cry in my bed asking myself what have I done. I couldn't understand why "bad" things were happening to me, why do I feel like I'm exhausting myself doing and sacrificing for what was starting to feel like a mistake? I realized that I had no idea what I'm doing with my life. I couldn't tell anyone, especially people back home because I felt ashamed. After all, it was me who wanted this in the first place.I was the one who wanted to prove something.
I wanted to quit and just come home but I couldn't because I felt I'm being immature. My heart is telling me that I've done enough but my mind is telling me to be practical. Until one night, I got my answer. I may not know what tomorrow has in store for me and I may not know exactly what to do at this point but I do know that I want transformation. I want to transcend my 'old' self who is still bitter and demanding rainbows, balloons, and a parade just because she got hurt.
To do this, I realized I had to 'detox' my life, to eliminate all the things in my life that have no meaning to me and that included working and living abroad. I realized that I was still carrying with me old pains, other people's expectations, demands of my own, and I knew I had to let go of these things so I can have a decent shot at beginning the rest of my life.
I am home now. I'm happy to be back with my family and friends. I'm not exactly sure what will happen but I have faith. I know everything happens for a reason. Right now, I'm taking a much needed rest for awhile then resume for "battle". Looking back, I do not regret the decisions I have made and though I have yet to see how the story will end, I am hopeful. I felt like I've been given a second chance. I want to give myself the opportunity to try to live my life the best way I can.
Exodus
· 1 year ago
I am not sure you can qualify this as a "life changing thing", however it is for me, something that I wish to share.
I worked for a music group for 5 1/2 years, I was not paid nearly what I was worth, did more than was asked of me, put myself in situations that were against my constitution. The week before I was to under go another life altering situation, I was fired, told I was not wanted. I was rejected by the people who I held the closets. I was left out to dry. I made my "Ocha" with out fowl. I got off the "throne" and decided that I could not look back.
Being left out there made me understand I am here to do something so powerful it is scary to think about.
I was left penniless, and with out a home as a result. some many months later I am a full time student pursuing a graduate degree (Ph.D) in Religious Anthropology focusing on African Religions.
I have never been so happy as I am right now, I believe had that not happen I would have fallen.....deeper into a state that was not my path. Now I feel like I am walking and doing so well in this path.
I believe that my higher power has given me a second chance. I know longer have thoughts of suicide, or of rejection. I am in a place of completion, and willing to do the work needed to complete what I start.
Bess
· 1 year ago
I don't think there is such a thing as a moment where everything can change for better or for worst. I think everyone is in control to make changes for better or worst. Its our choices of which path in life, we take. Drug dealers end up dead or in jail not because of the moment, but because of the path that they took. I think everyone have choice to change things for better or worst, is not a magic moment. I had my turning points many times in the last 10 years, and I remember before I turned...I knew that turned was taking me to the better or to the worst. One thing that made me turn each time even when I know it was not a good turn , is the fact that I wanted to experience the bad and good thing. I lived each moment…I blame my self for bad turns not the moment, but without regards. The bad moments were the best LESSONS. The good moments it was what I learned from my bad moment’s lessons. Yet, I still have not learned enough., I wonder if I AM STILL BREVE to prepare for next bad moment???? So I can learn something new again.
Thank you Paulo.
Rebeca Gomez
· 1 year ago
ESPERO QUE OPINAR AQUI SEA MUCHO MAS POSIBLE QUE EN LOS BREVISIMOS ESPACIOS DE FACEBOOK. Maestro. que lindo tener contacto con usted. Pienso que toda la humanidad estamos en ese punto en el que el cambio, el desarrollo, la competencia entre los pueblos, la tecnología no se pueden detener. En lo personal me cuesta trabajo adaptarme a los cambios aunque sean para bien. pero me dejo llevar por la corriente y ascimilo los cambios lo mejor que puedo y vale decir que me esfuerzo en ello. Ahora, nos sobreviene un cambio económico a todos. Las economías de las superpotencias estan colapsando, eso afecta a mi país como parte de América del Norte. Y afecta a los demás países Latinoamericanos. Este camibo lo tomo con cautela, con madurez, esperando aportar por mi y por mi gente. aportar ideas, aportar ahorro, aportar solidaridad, aportar optimismo, aportar humanismo, aportar comprensión y valentía para no esconder las injusticias y para luchar por mi y por los que más lo necesitan. En cuanto a su pregunta si estoy agusto o confortable con los cambios actuales ??? Con algunos si. hay otros tan preocupantes e irremediables. Cambios que me preocupan por mi futuro, por las nuevas generaciones. Como el calentamiento global, la deforestacion de las Selvas,La extinsión de especies, la desaparición del habitat de las especies por nosotros los hombres, la mega explosión demográfica.
now
· 1 year ago
i pray that i make my turning point TODAY.
Laudy
· 1 year ago
Dear Paulo and friends,
One Saturday night, many months ago, in a Sydney pub. I was having a very deep discussion with my best friend. I had recently broken up with my love of 2.5 years. I was explaining how the last few years of my life all seem like a blur to me. I do not remember achieving anything, or doing anything major that will help me remember those years. I was just living day by day and had no goals, no plans.. basically just gave in to my boring life. My friend, Nat, was telling me that I should look deeper and try to see what at least one positive was that I took out of my relationship with my ex.
Out of nowhere, this drunken old man taps me on my shoulder. His question was 'What do you think of work-place relationships?'. I started chatting with the man, and telling him that was how I met my ex and it was a fabulous feeling and if he is going for it, he shouldn't hold back just because he works with the person he fancies.
The night ended, we all went to our homes.
Sunday night, around midnight, I get a text message from my friend Nat. She says: Laudy, do you not think it was odd that out of everyone in the pub, this man came and spoke to you? Your face lit up when you were explaining to him and reminiscing on how your relationship begun. Do not let this moment be lost. He was put in your life to remind you that eventhough you think nothing came out of your relationship with your ex, there were many happy times. Do not focus on the negative.
At this point, I replied to her: Nat, thank you for being my eyes when I was blind. I was blinded by negativity, and this man was sent into my life to remind me that life is more than about what we see... it is also about what we don't see.
I am truly blessed to have people in my life, like Nat, that will be my eyes when I am blinding myself with negativity.
That moment in time, in a Sydney pub, opened my eyes. I now try to see everything for what it is, and have taken my blindfold off!
Love Laudy
Bianca
· 1 year ago
"im usually a very private person...but your one of my heroes so what the hell, here it goes......" there is a moment in life where the ground beneath you shifts due to realignment and balance, usually in two scenarios: when everything couldnt be more perfect and/or when you think it cant get any worse! for me, it couldnt be anymore perfect than that moment i was on top of the world: lover,career,money,traveling the world/lots of friends and loads of good times,not a care in the world...i was perfect! i was a professional dancer touring the world with my lover on a great contract that was offered to me with the dream cast/dream destination/dream job...imagine! sounds wonderful,no? well four months into my contract i was out in coppenhagen, shopping, lunch with my love, and a bit of sightseeing. after i returned to my room and took a nap so i could rest before my show that night.....and sooo i did! NOW PAY ATTETION: ...BLINK....my eyes opened ........and i awoke to the last day of my life! from the moment i opened my eyes, i was no longer myself,but in a strange and fast road to hell! i couldnt breath,my heart was racing and pounding, the room was closing in,and felt very faint ...like i could just lie still and die. fear starts filling up my sockets with tears of total chaos, and a moment of total insanity entered my head, and flooded my thoughts. THIS IS EVEN VERY HARD TO WRITE ABOUT AS I AM EXPOSING MYSELF TO YOU NOW, BUT IT MUST BE KNOWN. i had suffered my very first of many to come ....panic attack. at the time, i thought i was crazy and never had one. i literally had an attack for 24 hr. a day/7 days a week for about two weeks long after!!!!! and so my ignorant doctor i had gave up on me and put me on a plane back to the united states,sedated and afraid! i didnt even recognize myself in the mirror and didnt know who i was and i was afraid of who i was becoming. when i arrived to the states my own mother didnt recognize me for i had transformed to a withered,souless,sedated,pale,and frail faceless girl. from that moment on it was doctor after doctor,medication after medication,fear after fear,life had ceased to exist and i had climbed into a black hole for comfort. a few weeks later i get rushed to a hospital (SURPRISE), they had found a flesh eating bacteria in my right breast that ate through my body and was rushed to get a mini masectomy and had lost most of it due to sugery. my lover heard news for he was still in europe finishing his contact and dropped his whole universe ,bought a ticket to the states just to be at my side in hospital. doctor after doctor,more medication after medication,more fear and after fear and at complete loss of words let alone my life as i knew it! two years after had past still without a breast...i was considered disabled ugly,and useless in my old world of physical beauty and entertainment! so what do i do now?????? who am i??? what is to become??? well i will tell you...lots of therapy...hahaha. and meds and more doctors...... but i will tell you something..........i had nothing but i learned i had everything i needed to survive...which is love,health,and family. did u notice i never mentioned it at the beginning of my story? when i so-called mentioned i was perfect and had everything???? well, apparently i was missing the most important things in life that through a life altering shift i would soon come to realize in my self discovery! I WAS HOME! i grew to know how to rebuild,and replan,and regain...family,health,and most of all love! when you lose ....you win....when you win....you lose! in the beginning my story seems horrifying...but ...right now ,know i have everything and what i dont have i will regain again! if it wasnt for my battle to shake things up, i know now i would have continued on my merry little way ...in ignorance without any value. i now have my breast after 3 yrs of battles and i am still with my lover who became a husband, i have a new career and still plan to grace the stage again as well with dance on the side, i love and i am soooo close to my family,its unimaginable! i am stronger,wiser,and ready at all times! so, in the end, what did change for better or for worse? its called EVOLUTION OF THE SELF ,BOTH BETTER AND WORSE CREATE A CHAPTER! i do apologize for it being such a long story, but this is the short version, haha....i hope i didnt bore you paulo!!!!!!!
Rabi
· 1 year ago
I guess I've had many meaningful moments in my life, but this one tops every other.
When I was six, I found my mom crying in the bathroom, and I never saw her crying before, it was horrible because her pain was so clear you could almost smell it; she started talking to me thanking me for being there, becuase if that was not the case she would kill herself; she asked me for forgiveness and told me that she had had an abortion, an unsuccessful one becuase she found out she was still pregnant with me 4 monhts later... she kept on crying and I didn't mouth a word, I just sat there thinking, of course I was sad but mostly because she was crying, in another way I felt a sort of peace, there's always been a voice in the back of my head telling me that I wasn't wanted and it somehow made sense; from then on I was well aware of death, not in the scary sense, I was just aware of it all around me, and somehow I always escape it, since then I've had my own conversations with God, it's like a pact I have with him, like he wants me to be here, it's what keeps me going when I feel there is nowhere to go.
Virpi
· 1 year ago
My moment was only four weeks ago. I got to know I'm expecting a child, so there is a new life growing in me. I do not know yet exactly how widely this moment will affect the rest of my life. :)
Mariem
· 1 year ago
Hi Paulo! Thanks for this issue. I want to say that in my life there is mainly moments marked by persons that I tied to them and I couldn't imagine my life without their presence. Perhaps they are still in my deep heart that I still feel their presence around me. But there is someone that I want to forgot him because every thing let me remember him. He changed my life and don't no for the better or for the worst. But I know that the moment I met him will mark all my life and remain only memory.
Love Mariem
Veronika Urica
· 1 year ago
Hi, I feel, in two weeks before and some days in close future, something has to change in my life - I dont feel comfortable in my body and soul, I feel like I am going through some "rite of passage" and now I am somewhere "in between". I am not who I was, and I am not the new one. Funny, caouse I think, I am just a black hole, through which runs time and view... can black hole change? Yes, she has to, like everything. But I feel, that I dont know, how to change, so the best that I can do now - in this time of "being in between" - is to wait and live from one day to another, try to survive until I will be able to see clearly...hope I am patient enough
Anne
· 1 year ago
My turning piont: First for worse - then into being a wholer me through this tough experience.
A few years ago I lost my father who had cancer. When he died I felt like being in a cocoon of pain, frustration, sorrow and denial. I experienced to have no control over my tears and dark thoughts, and it felt like I had no strength in any muscles in my body.
At the same time I knew I had to start to do things that could give me glimps of happiness and joy.
I decided to read - and read a lot of books that I felt could give me power and strenght. It was at this point in my life I started to read Paulo Coelho`s books. Reading books gave me power, will and courage.
Through this time I "re-puzzled" myself: the puzzle that used to be me, I felt collapsed, and I had to put it together again - only now in a new way. I came in contact with my inner self and spirit, and started to see what`s important for ME in this life.
I now find happiness and joy in little things in everyday life. Things I took for granted before are now more apreciated. I have found peace with myself, and can see what I need to give preference to. I have accepted that we live and we die, and what matters is what we do in between.
This experience has made me a wholer person, and for that outcome I`m grateful.
Désirée
· 1 year ago
I used to walk a lot. I walked from my job about half an hour every monday to friday in every weather.
That gives time to think.
My mother had been to a laughing-class, a way to handle depressions and sad thoughts buy laughing. The idea was that the smile and laugh released those happy-substances that trigged the brain to be happy.
I walked along the harbour and smiled to test the theory.
I felt warmth spread in my mind and my body. I felt happy and content. I felt enlighted.
I had found to "back door" to happiness.
Soul and brain are not the same thing to me. They live in symbiosis.
Now, I have not walked in a cloud of happiness since then, but when I feel sad I try to remember the walk that day and force a smile on my face. At least it doesn't make me feel worse.
I have courage when everything comes around, I did react.
That makes me feel proud of myself :-)
Jessica
Ghalia
· 1 year ago
Actually, in my guess I am living this turning point, I don't know yet where it is going to lead me, but what I know now is I am living it filled with the hope that I am on the right track!
It is the moment of leaving home and memories behind and moving to a new life that I always was afraid of doing this step :)
Losing my Mother and becoming a Mother, 3 months and 3 days later.
Charbel
· 1 year ago
I feel currently I am having that moment. I feel I am at a cross roads I can't explain why or where. My soul and the world is telling me something is not right, only time will tell. I am trying to listen to it and hopefully it will reveal itself.
Nicholas
· 1 year ago
The Moment
I am still waiting for this moment. I believe it does exist. And I also believe I should live in every moment as if it is that moment. Unfortunately I am not an evolved being yet and need to be jolted out of the rut of life. I do experience moments of pure peace and great joy, and I can see in those moments that a life filled with this great peace is possible. But then life happens again, and I also realise we are in a physical existence and I chose to be here. So there is the conundrum right there. I live, I trust and continue to ask the question and look for the jolt.
hari
· 1 year ago
thank you Paulo and thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences. My turning point is happening now, everything in my life at the moment,love, home, health, work,is ending and changing over the next few months. I alternate between grief and hope. My decision is to take 3 months to stop, be by myself and trust that this will be a change for the better
marion
· 1 year ago
Less than five minutes ago I put an end to a seven year legal divorce battle. I signed off all savings accumulated for the past twenty-three years of a married life with a drug addicted man. I have three beautiful children, the middle one stepping into the drug shoes of his father. I learnd to let go of him last year when the addiction of Magnus started to influence the relationship with the five year old brother Quentin. My life has been filled with these moments- good ones and bad- this is part of embracing life- at its fullest. Nobody said it would be easy. Thank you for giving the possibility to write this into the world. I am free and I am loved.
Marco&Brazil(il mio cane)
· 1 year ago
Hi, the last week I have been the operation at my left eye. It has not been really a walk for me but now my sight is better. My interior sight is better in this year of wait from the first operation after an incident while I shot a movie in a school. Many things are happened in this time, my almost labrador Brazil is present only in spirit now and I have found my interior sight thanks to you Paulo, too!! This is my moment. Marco and Brazil in my heart
Viv
· 1 year ago
Every single day is full of turning points, both large and small, when you are awake enough to be aware of them. Some lead to great things, some to small ones, but we are surrounded by them.
Love
· 1 year ago
For me my turning point was when, after a long time living in the abyss, I knew a Presence who turned me into Light. That´s why I was able to step out of that terrible abyss.
She was guididng me. I was One with Her. I was strong thanks to the Presence, the Goddess.
Was that a dream? I wonder ...
Beacause it was so wonderful. The shining Light, the Golden Sand under my feet,
and everywhere, around me.
Was the Light.
Will She come back, to Guide me?
I don´t know, but at least I have Her remembrance (though sometimes I doubt: Was She real?)
Real or not, I have known Her, and that is with me.
***
The other turning point was when She dissapeared and I was left here alone.
Nida
· 1 year ago
The Moment !!! ... Mmmmmmm I read a few of the above posts ... ..... ....... But i cannot find any "THE MOMENT" of my life .. !!! ... Nothing so especiall has happened up till now with me .... I fell in love and broke up ..... But lets not count that as THE MOMENT .... I guess each day is the same as the other ,,,,..... or is it that i fail to recongnise the miracle of each day that the new sun rises ...... i don't know really .....
But the thought really fasinates me when A MOMENT in someone's life can change the whole LIFE ..... How wonderful the feeling would be if the change is a positive one ...... :)
I have a very ordinary kind of life .... A loving family... Freinds .... I don't earn much but .. That's the only interesting part of my life :) .. To buy new and good clothes, bags, shose, jewelry ...... I love to travel ... To collect money and some day go to the Northern areas of Pakistan with friends or family (or with a life partner ;) hheehee LoL... That wud be the Great) :) .... (I live in Pakistan, and it's a beautiful Country) That's It ... That's the aim, That's my Life ....
Spiritwolf
· 1 year ago
>>Viv
Every single day is full of turning points, both large and small, when you are awake enough to be aware of them. Some lead to great things, some to small ones, but we are surrounded by them.<<
I agree Viv. But sometimes, it takes ONE Moment to unlock your soul and make it possible to see all the other moments. Some people though are lucky and can see those right from the start.
Sigrún Harðardóttir
· 1 year ago
My first turning point came when I was nine, around the first moon node. I was dancing with other little girls in a round, rehearsing a dance for the end of the year celebrations in our school in France. Suddenly I came awake. Everything was very, very crystal clear. I felt myself on the stage, the girls doing their round while I came to a stop. I thought: "Where am I? Who are these people?" My dragon of a teacher started yelling at me, and I thought in a language other than French, but what language I do not know to this day: "What the hell is that bitch yelling about?" I could no longer understand French. She then rushed onto the stage, grabbed my arm and pushed me back into the round, yelling the whole time. The moment broke, everything went back to normal although I was too numb with surprise to react to the dragon's abuse, and I forgot all about it until I was 38 years old.
A second turning point in my life came when I was 17 at boarding school in Iceland. Isolated, tense, afraid, lonely and unhappy, I was reading incomprehensible chemistry for a test. I looked out the window towards a conical mountain high above the dormitory. Suddenly the mountain spoke to me, calling my name. I felt completely connected to nature, and I felt rather than thought: This mountain and I are the same. We are one.
The third turning point in my life came when I was 21 and had recently given birth to my son. I was living alone, afraid, apprehensive of the future, lost as to what my life was for. I was sitting at a large window high up looking out onto a big Icelandic sky with the pale moon floating in the still bright sky. Suddenly, my perspective shifted with a lurch. I gasped. I felt the Earth dancing in the Universe with the Moon hurtling 'round it. I felt the tug of the two spheres on each other. I was one with the dance of the spheres. A sense of awe and wonder, and a sense of total belonging came over me. I vowed then to devote my life to understanding the secrets of the interconnectedness of all in the Universe. Then, with a tug at my solar plexus, the alternate perspective was gone. I was alone with a new born in the next room.
My fourth turning point came after a few months' journey in the abyss after a divorce. I was consumed with hatred, rage, disappointment and fear of loneliness. I had started to implement exercises I devised to bring me out one step at a time, trying to find a guiding light in the total darkness of the soul. When I reached a point of complete despair and disorientation, a honeyed drop of light lit itself in the depths of my soul and started to warm me from the inside out. I started to practice Gratitude all day long. The light spread little by little, day by day until I recognised the presence of the Christ within, the gift given to us all at the turning point of time. Since then, I have never been alone.
Jenn
· 1 year ago
Thank you for this topic -
I think the real turning point in my life was the moment I decided that I was better than the circumstances I had put myself in, I was better than the people I let put me down think I am, and finally, that I am a better person than I think I am.
I decided to strive for the best in every moment, the best in myself, and the beauty in everyday, whether it be at work or play. There should never be a day that goes by in which anyone goes to bed thinking, "wow, that was such a horrible, depressing, useless day." And so, the moment I decided that I would live each day as if I meant every moment, every word and every smile - that was the moment I left my abusive relationship, reconnected with my friends, enjoyed work, grad school, and started loving myself again.
Kirstie
· 1 year ago
My most profound turning point (i have had quite a few +/-!) At a budhist mediatation retreat 8 years ago. I was mediatating on cherishing love and something happened something clicked inside me and all that i held onto all the negative things from childhood all the things i thought i was, just evaparated away and a light started shinning through me i knew everything at that moment it was bliss. My 7 year old daughter asked me if i was her real mum at the same time( she was going through the "am i adopted stage") I said i was and she was very pleased she seemed relieved i had found myself. I think it must of been the connection with the divine that i read about in many books. From that day on i knew i could be whoever i choose to be..........not the kid my parents made me believe i was! I now have faith in "me" the divine, the one and the same. I feel very blessed to of had this experience. My life is not perfect on obsevation but internally i am strong and peaceful. I feel i am being set up for another moment and when it arrives i will know everything i ever suffered will of been worth every tear. Thanks Paulo & everyone for your very moving and inspirational stories x Kirstie x
NH Izyan
· 1 year ago
Thank you Paulo for this topic. I tried to think of a particular moment.Moment is relative don't you think. It can be just 5 mins fro some and long process for others.
Life in college changed me. I became a person stronger than the days before. But if I have to think about a moment, it'd be the time I ran out of class. In high school, I long to be accepted. Being rather plump and with a low self-esteem, I find myself being the last one selected for group work, the one who asked around can i go for break with you and at times the butt of jokes. I was always on my guard, insecure.
During a competition, I was the only girl selected. I heard the guys talking about me. I felt like they were trying to put me down and I jsut ran out of class. The tcr who was having the class talked to me after class. She's been a friend since. No doubt, the guys ridiculed me over the event. But it reflected how much I could tolerate.
Today, I laugh over it. Amused at my lack of self-control. But it developed me. It made me stronger. I was embarrassed to come back to class. But I had no options. I'm glad for having done so. Thankfully, I've changed. Even when intimidated, I give strong front and belive, I can be strong enough and I'm better of living my life than worry over other people's judgement. That was my moment. Heraclitus said change is the only thing that is constant. More moments will come. & for everyone that happen, I'm thankful.
Thank you Paulo. (:
Borish
· 1 year ago
The moment that changed everything for good was the moment i met an angel, the woman that made me happy for five years. The moment that changed everything to worse was the moment i cheated her...
Churra
· 1 year ago
I think I'm in the middle of a turning point now. I've always been sunny, peaceful: now I'm not. I feel something big in my life is about to come and I don't know what it is, and if it's for good and bad. I know we turn our lives in what we want: this time I don't know what's happening, and I feel strange, almost nervy, like never before in my life. I think I'm in the middle of it...and I hope it'll be for better.
arvind devalia
· 1 year ago
The moment that changed my life for ever was in March 2000 when I was visiting some orphans in Pondicherry South India. I have written in detail my fully story at the following link but will summarise here for now:-
I had just given some ladoos (indian sweets) to these six orphan children. The catholic sister who looked after them explained how two of the kids were brother and sister, and how they had been found abandoned outside the hospital main entrance a couple of years before.
Instinctively, I picked up the little girl and placed her on a chair and began to try and make some small talk with her. She gurgled and her mischievous eyes seemed to twinkle with delight.
At that moment, time seemed to come to a standstill. Nothing else mattered except this little girl and I was lost in her presence.
After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds, I instinctively looked up. And there, right in front of me was the catholic sister, looking back at me with sheer joy and love on her face. Our eyes locked and melted together into an ocean of compassion.
The look in the sister’s all knowing eyes reassured me that it was okay to feel what I was feeling, and also that it was safe and perfectly okay to be openly loving and kind.
In those few moments, I learnt what it meant to be human. I learnt what it felt like to show compassion and love and kindness.
That was probably my first ever experience of unconditional love towards a total stranger. That little, innocent, helpless, orphan girl had captured my heart just like that. As tears streamed from my eyes, I knew then that I had found my calling and my path. My journey of contribution and service began in those few amazing moments of bliss, love and joy.
Life was never the same for me again after that. Looking back to that magical day in April 2000, everything else pales into insignificance as I returned back to London and underwent major life changes all within a very short time.
Ever since I have been waiting to experience that depth of feeling ever since and I know it is there within me.
Mirela Baron
· 1 year ago
I think the day when I burned my right feet in the morning with hot watter was a such a moment. After a few minutes I´v lost my consciounes and in the small time that past I`ve saw all my life like people befor they die!It was so interesting for me that I do not come back anymore till I`v not recorded everything;after a time my boyfriend ,is took me back from there,trough screening and lapsing me.A ambulance braught me to hospital and after I`ve signed that I take the responsability to go home,I`ve drive to Vienna wich was 50 km from my home,to do my worck.I had an apointment with a client that I thought I should not lose it! The point was, that this client braught me a telephone number,from a brasilian shaman woman,where after few days I took a healing saesion,wich changed all my life. She was a very good witch! She opend something in me that helped to use more sensitivity for me and my worck. To read The Alchimist was the same, with only positive efects,and to meet you Paulo ,In such a timing in 2000 in Vienna,with the help This Ascensor(Lift),and although with `someone else`Help,was the same special Moment! Thank you, for that you turned back to the right Moment!
Love Mirela(the woman in lift)
Alan in the UK
· 1 year ago
Dear Bianca,
Bravo!!!
Not boring at all, a very deeply personal expression of the human will to survive and against all odds.
I am humbled and enriched by your expression.
I have an inkling of the courage needed to do that and it makes me feel so very sure that the spirit is alive and in you.
Uplifted and by you.
With all my very best wishes for each new chapter in your new book of life,
Alan
Jules
· 1 year ago
I am speechless by the personal stories written on this site. Am I surprised? Not really. Cause life in itself is a turning point; the minute you enter this world with your first cry for life, challenges are awaiting you. And sometimes the turning points happen to be taken place when you are not yet born. When my mom found out that she was pregnant in her late 30s, she was thinking of having an abortion, but a nurse (who could not have children of her own) told my mom that she is fortune enough to give life and that she should not gamble away this great opportunity. Thanks to that nurse, I am alive today. Even though my start in life had been risky - my mom and I almost died because I got stugged in the birth canal. It seems my life had been laid out from the start...I have to fight my way through it...that's what it said to me and that is what I believe in, if I believe in anything. When I was one year old my right ear drum burst, something that one could not correct with medical surgery like one can do nowadays, so I grew up half deaf. Another challenge I had to face with five years. I found my mom's life partner who was like a dad to me (since my biological father is an alcoholic and my mom seperated from him before I got born)dying on our living room floor. I was kneeling right beside him screaming at him, shaking him, the only answer that came back was a gasp for air that he could not get into his lungs. He died of a heart attack. After his death the relationship with my mom went down hill, she got abusive towards me. I recall the nights and hours that I wept myslef to sleep wishing for a better life; finding shelter at my grandma's place until she passed away around Christmas. WHat I know is that I never gave up. How often did I thought of running away, even committing suicide, but I told myself that this cannot be IT. I waited till I graduated from high school and then I took off. I spend a year in the United States, came back to Germany, started University, received my Bachelor's Degree, adn now I am back in teh USA to finish up my MAster program. I never gave up hope for the better challenges in life. Sometimes it is worth waiting and struggling through the hard times.
zoo
· 1 year ago
I was a sort of person who kept on falling in love again n again in pursuit of soulmate .Then finally somebody came into my life and I put everythng I had on stake just to find the real meaning of that sort of love...the feelings were; as I have found my half lost part...but believe me Paulo when it was over I realised that such kind of love is only momentary..no matter what u do sooner or later weather u have it or not it surely gonaa die or fade... if achieve your love.. it can change its face, shape but its surely not that mystical...if you have to part you r left with some memories and thats it.. and with this realization I became a stronger person now better able to understand that we all keep on changing and growing. i know u may not agree with me but now i know that such feelings are there but they r true for some moments. and thats it now u tell me weather I have changed for the better or for the worse.
Avigail Abarbanel
· 1 year ago
Hello Paulo and everyone and good morning from Canberra Australia,
There were many moments that conspired together to change my life -- which I think of every day as a miracle. But the one that was a clear turning point was when I decided to leave my first marriage in May 1997.
My almost 10-year marriage seemed perfect and it gave me a great deal of security. My former husband is a good man, intelligent, hard-working, loyal, committed and loving not to mention handsome. But for a number of years I felt like something in me was somehow dying in the marriage. Something was wrong but I couldn't say what it was. Because I suffered from childhood trauma and was quite a troubled person at the time, it was hard for me to trust anything I felt. Whenever my feelings of unhappiness came up I would push them away and tell myself I was stupid for feeling them. I had everything I wanted and had no reason to be unhappy...! I now know that pushing our feelings away is the main cause for anxiety and back then I suffered from crippling chronic anxiety with repeated panic attacks. So life was 'perfect' but not really...
I met Ian at our workplace choir, and we started to talk occasionally. We didn't have an affair - neither physical nor emotional! I have a big problem with extra-marital affairs. To my dismay, over time I started to have feelings for Ian that were very strong and quite different from anything I had ever experienced. It was very disturbing because I was a faithful and loyal wife. I wasn't supposed to feel anything like that towards anyone other than my husband... There was no talk about getting together or leaving marriages. Ian just started to see someone himself and was very excited about it.
Gradually I began to realise that what was happening had to do with me and my life's journey. Life was knocking on my door and was trying to tell me something. I was in denial about my unhappiness with my marriage. 12 months prior to leaving (long before I met Ian) I wrote in my journal that I didn't see my future with my ex, but I completely forgot about it. I only discovered this entry after I left.
Two months into my psychotherapy degree, in early 1997 (I was 32), I had to admit to myself that it was time to make a serious choice. I couldn't lie to myself any longer. It was not based on whether or not Ian and I were going to get together, but it had everything to do with my own destiny. I don't think I have ever felt that scared in my life. I was about to hurt a good man who was a big part of my life and who has done nothing wrong, turn my entire life upside down, and embark on...what?? I didn't really know. I was going completely into the unknown. But I did it. It was horrible. My ex was so hurt. He told me he was still in love with me and asked me why. I couldn't tell him, because I didn't really know. I wanted to give him an explanation to help him feel better. I never wanted to hurt him. I had no bad feelings about him. It was more a question of following my path and I knew deep down what I was so afraid to admit to myself for so long, that my path was not with him. But to even think of life as a path, to think of destiny or purpose was a new thing for me... I was a nobody and nobodies don't have paths or destinies...It's not how I was brought up.
Ian and I did get together in the end (we've been married since 1999). What I felt when I left my marriage and then got together with Ian was as if I moved sideways. It was as if before I was walking along on a familiar and safe path, but my real life was walking parallel to me. Occasionally I would take a glance sideways, see something there, feel some kind of loss, and then dismiss it as my stupid imagination... When I took that huge, frightening step of leaving my marriage, what I did was move sideways to join that parallel path and all of a sudden my life made sense. I couldn't explain it any other way and at the time I had trouble making sense of it all. I just knew deep down that it was right. For the first time in my life I had to trust my gut feeling and not my logic.
I am an experienced psychotherapist/counsellor now and I work also with couples. With all my years of work and study I have not been able to find one theory that explained what had happened with my first marriage. I have to admit to myself that it really does have to do with my life's purpose and the reason I was put on this earth.
Ian and I had many difficult times over the years. We suffered a lot and I thought of leaving a few times. But even through the hardest times, it always felt somehow right, underneath all the day-to-day difficulty. While even during the best times with my ex-husband, and there were many, it just never felt right. This feeling of rightness gave Ian and I the strength to grow, and we both hardly recognise ourselves. We are so different from how we were only a few years ago. Now Ian and I are living and breathing another one of these life changing moments but you can read about this on our website. If you like.
Thank you for this opportunity to tell my story and blessings to everyone.
Avigail
nho(spain)
· 1 year ago
I feel so sorry for those who suffer serious consequences, and hope they will win, with time and patience. Of beside me I knew some things in life, in my childhood I was like a suitcase from country to country, because my mother did not know where she wanted to live, that made me know differents places and cultures, and i was forced, but i could found possitives things in the way.
I've seen a little bit of everything, one day after waiting for my group of scouts i meet a guy who perceived me to sign from a public toilet, to my surprise the man was stripping, i was alone and he scare me, I went home and chased him with a camera, then went to the police and locked it.
I have known the pain of steel in my hands, defending my girlfriend about aggressors, those cut off the hand and me in the middle of a railway station in Switzerland, no one did anything.
I have faced depression and suicide among friends, faced drugs, and the loss of parents. I know in part, poverty and wealth, and that people are good and bad, but that is part of life, that everything is perfect and all things are just for experience.
Even knowing love, and all the gifts that our land gives us home, one brings me headaches, because it is not something which can draw lessons. What I still know that Mark is all we will die one day, and that has no solution, within 100 or 1000 years will not be able to enjoy new horizons, nor the warmth of new places, or who will be our evolution. When I think of the death sentence comes the words from Chaplin "Life is a joke."
Srry about my english
Brigit
· 1 year ago
Just had one of those moments. I was halfway through writing this post and my cat jumped onto the desk, knocked my mouse and keyboard and somehow wiped out what I had written! So do I start again, or do I change direction? I'll start again - there was significance in what I was writing.
I think life changing moments happen almost as some sort of divine intervention. These moments give us a choice to work with those moments in a positive or negative way.
Becoming a parent was one of the most signicant moments in my life. Nothing has ever been the same. Becoming a parent also gave me the strength to do things I had wanted to do years ago, and was to scared to. One of those things was to move from the city to the county. Besides being something I longed to do, it was a way to give my child freedom, and to be financially able to give her the best I could. The country and my child, let me find the other half of myself that had been suppressed, gnawing at me for recognition for all the years I had lived in the city.
The parenting journey for me was not an easy one. I raised my child on my own. However it has been an extremely rewarding one, full of love and purpose.
My most recent moment has been this year, and even now at times I still feel as though I'm caught in a spider's web, struggling to get out. This moment has propelled me on a journey, that at times I don't feel ready to take, yet know I have to - there's that spider web again. This year my partner of 5 years died, and shortly after my daughter left home. Is this moment a better or worse moment? It is a rebirthing time. No birthing is easy, but I can sense, and at times experience life, as I've not done before. I'm making this moment a moment that is changing my life for the better.
Katerina
· 1 year ago
About a year ago, it occurred to me that the state of ones, alones, isolation just is. It can be both terrifying and comforting. It can also be a source of power, inspiration and appreciation of the delicate and precious connections that pass through us. This realization has been very liberating in a sense that I find my own life-path revealing itself more easily. And while I’ve grown more aware of my choices in life, it has not become any easier to make decisions. In a sense, I’ve gained faith in my own intuition that allows me to make those tough decisions.
Brittany
· 1 year ago
My turning point came recently when my fiance and I broke up. He had turn into someone completely different from the man I fell in love with. I realized that I had been in denial about the way he acted. My turning point came when a friend told me that I have always been a reactive force, always changing when the world around me changes first, and that I need to start being a proactive force. That was my turning point in which I finally took control of situations and bettered myself in the end.
francis
· 1 year ago
Mi vida ha estado llena de momentos especiales, esos momentos que marcan la vida de cualquier ser humano y se quedan en la memoria para siempre...
Es muy curioso que presisamente añoche estaba conversando con mi hermano menor sobre el asunto, el me decía que para el son muy importantes los momentos difíciles porque lo dejan profundamente marcado en su alma, pero desde mi punto de vista, trataba de explicarle que los momentos que realmente valen la pena atesorar son los momentos de felicidad, creo que nos hemos mal acostumbredo estar haciendonos daño todo el tiempo con esos recuerdos que peturban nuestro espiritu, ellos de por sí quedarán grabados en nuestra mente, aunque tratemos de evitarlo, ellos estarán allí todo el tiempo para hacernos recordar algo importante que ya ocurrio y que de nosotros depende que no vuelva a ocurrir...
De un tiempo para acá, he tratado de no dedicar mas de la atención que merecen esos malos momentos, he procurado prestar mucha mas atención a los momentos que me llenan de felicidad, y al tenerlos presentes todo el tiempo he notado que las cosas fluyen de una mejor forma, es como si todo se manifestara a traves de ese sentimiento de enorme paz, para mi , ha sido de gran ayuda haberme abierto a la magia del amor, comocí a un chico con el que tengo un año saliendo pero con él he experimentado cosas que jamás pense que podria vivir, podria decirles que he experimentado el verdadero amor, el amor puro, el amor que todo lo hace posible, y desde que me siento completamente dispuesta a recibir todas las cosas buenas que la vida tiene para mi, esta energía tan poderosa la he logrado compartir ymultiplicar con las personas que están a mi alrrededor, es algo totalmente mágico...
Descubri que mi felicidad no depende de absolutamente nadie mas que de mi, y cuando realmente quieres ser feliz, todo sale como lo deseas.
si tuviese que simplificar mi vida en un solo momento de los muchos en los que ma he sentido plenamente feliz, diria que ese momento llegó justamente cuando descubri el enorme potecial que hay dentro de mi para cambiar mi historia: de una historia como cualquier otra a la historia que yo misma decido crear cada dia cuando el sol sale, una historia que es la mejor de todos y que todos podemos vivir y escribir cuando queramos, solo hace falta abrir un poquito mas los ojos y ver todas las bendiciones que se nos han otorgado...
MIL BESOS A TODOS.
charisse
· 1 year ago
It is true. There is a moment in one's life that can determine a long journey. Mine needed a life in exchange of my learning. The price that I had to pay cost me a life of someone who's very dear to me. He was "Zahir" to me and I thought everything was within my control; that whatever is the result will always be in favor of the better. Just when things started to fall in their right places, it was his time to be taken away from me..forever. It is a sad story of love, pain and spirituality. My fiance's death has taught me the following: If there is something you hold close to your heart that overrides your relationship with the Divine, the more that it will be withheld from you. And if you become hearheaded about some things you insist which aren't supposed to be, the more that they will be taken away from you. The death was not that difficult to deal and accept but the loss is like a river that won't stop flowing.
Nelson D'Silva
· 1 year ago
Thank you all for ‘opening your hearts’. I always feel every moment of our lives is a turning point. We have two choices before us – to do good, or to do nothing. The choice is ours.
May we never underestimate the importance of our family.
Love and cherish every moment.
BTW Savita, belated Happy Birthday. I turn 42 today.
Love and hope to all, Nelson
Netunos
· 1 year ago
The turning point for me came in 2007, the year I was forced to accept the undeniable the existence of my spiritual protector, a very old man who guides me since I was child.
I am not particularly religious, I was raised under the influence of the catholic faith but my family was not particularly religious. I cannot recall the very first time this spiritual protector manifested his presence, but I remember some problems in school when I was eleven years old. I arrived at school one day and my teacher asked the class to write about a social problem like violence or poverty. We had one hour or so to write about it and we had to hand in the essay before lunch.
I wrote my essay, I handed in and I went out for lunch.
The next day I was called to meet the school director. My teacher was there as well and I spent a good hour trying to explain to them that nobody had helped with the essay, that I had not copied the text. They were both convinced I had copied the test from a newspaper or a political magazine but they could not figure out how I had done it. They said it was impossible; the text was too advanced for my age.
Years later I asked my spiritual protector about this event and he told me it was him, the topic was too important and he decided to give me a quick lecture on the subject.
Another time, during a history class, the teacher would tell us about historic events and I would correct him with details only familiar to archaeologists.
Things like that have happened so many times in my life but I have always tried to think of them as coincidences, fatigue or simply my imagination.
Last year however, I was faced with a very complex family situation. I accepted to help someone by doing something that I would never normally do. But in the process, I spent many weeks unable to sleep, stressed and nervous about it.
Then one day, my protector with his very soft and gentle voice, a grandfather’s voice, told me:
“I do not see any danger, I know you would never let yourself into something like this but be part of it this time, I will do everything I can to protect you and your family during the up coming events”.
After “hearing” his voice I felt a deep sensation of peace and communion, regardless of all the risks I stopped to be anxious about everything. My peace of mind returned and everything went well.
This event deeply affected me because I felt his presence the whole time, more than ever before. I started to realize that he is helping me fight some of my deepest fears and concerns.
carla
· 1 year ago
since i was 11 years old (puberty) i have had dreams at night that i couldnt explain ! dreams of events that happen after a few days . call it intuition i donno i never had the interest nor the desire to investigate the issue further than what i was experiencing at night . i am a catholic christian and i believe in god ! what i see at night i couldnt explain it wasnt only events that occur later on it was much more than this . i used to see people , faces , people that were about to pass away or are already dead ! all i remember was waking up the next morning very tired as if i was running all night but i knew deep down that what i was experiencing wasnt normal my friends at school were not the same ! all this affected me a lot especially at a young age when i used to ask my mom about it and the only answer i would get is ignore it dont think about it ! dont tell anyone this they will think u r mad ! whenever i dream i wake up very tired and the dreams got stronger as i grew older and i kept them a secret from everyone i still do ! until one day i met a priest that i decided to confide in . it wasnt easy at first but something about him made me feel secure may be i was tired of carrying the burden of secrecy i donno but i told him everything for the first time in my life i openned my heart to a complete stranger ! that is the moment that changed my life he didnt believe me at first but one day i had a dream, a man came to me in my dream he spoke with me and i felt that he was a close friend of the priest i was confiding in ! i told the priest the next morning and i told him the name of the man that i saw the night before he still didnt believe me so i asked him to get me lots of pictures of him and his friends and i would point out to him the man that i saw and i did ! that is when he knew i was for real . he then explained to me the reason behind my dreams he taught me how to pray all over again because the intensity of my dreams affected my belief in god ! they made me drift away from christ and i stopped praying and going to church because in a way i blamed god for my torments the priest helped me understand what i was going through he taught me that christ is the only way for my salvation with his help i can overcome anything ! i am now newly married , i still dream but very less frequently than before . my husband is very supportive and caring before we got married i told him about my dreams i remember i was so worried he might decide to leave me but i knew i had to tell him before we got married he had to know that i sometimes wake up in the middle of the night scared , cold and with visions like i call them . he didnt leave me he just smiled and said dont worry when u wake up i will be there next to u so u dont have to be scared anymore ! i know that what i have may be considered as a blessing or a curse by some but who knows where i got it from . My mother has it and my sister also . my sister's daughter who is 5 years old now is starting to dream also i wish i can spare her the agony of such dreams but all i can do is take her to church and teach her how to pray and may be just may be save her from the difficulties i went through as a child . nowadays the dreams i get i no longer feel depressed or angry from them ,the priest taught me to see beyond the dream to see hope at the end of the tunnel i think of the people that i see at night that have passed away not as people that wish to scare me or hurt me but as tormented souls that desperately seek redemption and instead of waking up scared and frightened i now wake up peacefully and i say a prayer for their souls to rest , a prayer for god to help them . u ask what is the most important moment in my life ? i tell u the moment i decided to confide in a total stranger and tell him the biggest secret i had , the secret i didnt even dare hear myself say out loud . my life changed by the hand of a priest who god put in my path .
fageeth
· 1 year ago
Turning point, maybe the term itself suggests that it is individuals’ way of converting hard realities in life to positive or negative outcomes. Whilst you yourself have the absolute choice and power in selecting the path it’s you who is going to decide where it will "turn" in to.
Though we are in the era where knowledge & responsibilities is boasted like never before, it seems this is also the era where we are confused in facing “turning points” of life. So much so we barely recognize it. Remember these will never be pleasant because its always THE UNEXPECTED.
But it’s certainly Almighty’s way of testing us on our values, knowledge & responsibility. Believe me it’s worth the hardships that you encounter because at the end of each “TURNING POINT” which takes you to unexpected but awesome destinies reveal the real meaning of life.
I am chosen for the company retrenchment and now i am left with no options. But i know this is a turning point in my life. So enough said for the begining & will keep you posted my prgress over next few months
Manish
· 1 year ago
Dear Sir,
I just finished reading The witch of Portobello and loved it. Coming from India and growing up worshiping Mother Kali, I felt connected to her while reading the book. In this part of the world, worshiping of feminine Goddess is not that uncommon.
Im personally very disturbed on senseless killing, chao going around various part of the world. I truely believe a moment can change lives and I wonder what could be the moment when a normal person raised lovingly by parents, decide to kill fellow human being in the name of some religion, worse decide to become a suicide bomber? We need to understand these moments for misguided souls in order make the world a truely happy place.
Would be nice if you could share your thoughts on this.
Warm regards,
Manish
Marjan
· 1 year ago
The Moment, I think everybody has a lot of moments in life, and all of them influence our life; I think my turn piont of my life is when My father dead because of Heart attack. At that time I was 16 and after that my view point changed. It was so hard but I learnt how to face my life and its problems. during those day I received your books and its helped me to find my path, I learned how to deal the problems and how to see the life. Now I enjoy my life.
Before I talk about myself I'd like to give you an idea of the place I live in so you'd understand the things I have been through. I am a Saudi woman. I live in Saudi Arabia, a place where people follow and worship traditions and punish those who don't stick to them. My society expects nothing from me except one thing that is getting married and making my husband become a happy man even if I was living in hell it does not matter as long as I'm doing the role they've assigned for me to do. To sum up the whole thing the way my society treats women is similar to how Victorian women were treated in England during the 19th century. The turning point of my life was when I first began to talk publicly about my beliefs and thoughts. I just wanted to share my ideas with my people. I thought that if they would disagree with me they might criticize my ideas and not attack me in person. But they started to call me a psycho and an insane woman. At first I didn't understand what was wrong with them to think of me in that way or what did I do to them to deserve to be called insane. However this thing didn't stop, after a couple of months they started to question my faith. I got severely depressed and I gradually began to isolate myself from people. I spent my days with my beloved books. I read for Emerson and Thoreau which has helped me a lot to understand people's point of view of me. Now I am glad that I have broke free from my society, I am glad that I became an individual though I have paid the price for that, which is living in pain and loneliness. No I don't regret freeing myself because I know that what I did is part of worshiping God and that people can't worship him unless they free themselves from being the slaves to others. I have a strong faith in God and I know that he will help me find the right path, that he will help me to become fully myself and that he will make my parents accept me the way I am.
Catalina
· 1 year ago
I have had a few of these moments. But things never changed actually for worst...just for good. What is similar to all of them is that they come from difficult moments, some life threatening. My turn points are these respect some aspects of my life and not others. I feel as life is a continuous, everything can change from one second to the next one is my turn point.
maria teresa
· 1 year ago
Mister Coelho.... questi sono i momenti in cui vorrei sapere bene l'inglese. (lo sò solo a livello scolastico) Vorrei dirle tante cose, ringraziarla per le emozioni che i suoi scritti riescono a trasmettermi, per aver scoperto casulamente i suoi libri ed esserne rimasta incantata. Si incantata è la giusta definizione perchè mi hanno aperto la mente, mi hanno fatto sentire partecipe delle sue esperienze ed anche meno sola... si meno sola perchè ho scoperto che tante persone hanno questa voglia di conoscenza dell'intimo umano.Ancora tante grazie Maresa
Herbert
· 1 year ago
Dear Paolo,
For worst: at 13 years old, I started to develop breasts (as a boy), which were later on surgically removed. This left me with many questions about my identity. I came to the conclusion that feminine qualities were not acceptable for a boy and gave up writing poems. I concentrated on being a man, and did a technical studies. Today, I'm working as a technical engineer. I've always felt uncertain with women (affraid that they will see through my mask).
For better: A few months ago - I am 40 years old now - I met an artist painter. He inspired me to pick up painting and express myself. By doing so, I feel the energy going through me; I sometimes get up late in the evening because I feel the urge to alter something in an existing painting - or to start a new one. Gradually, this brings back the energy of life to me. I develop friendships with many different people now, and I don't care that much anymore about their opinion on me. Not that I'm enlightened all of a sudden, I just feel free to express myself.
So, I'm getting back in touch with my personal legend, which must be something like: inspiring others by revealing things they have not seen. This personal legend is yet very misty and unclear to me but I trust that it will reveal itself when I continue to give my artistic qualities (painting and creating music) my full energy. I'm affraid of losing the certainty of a regular income from my job, as I know that this path is going to end. My new path has not yet revealed itself completely and is full of uncertainties. I feel in doubt but alive.
Warm regards, Herbert
Ale
· 1 year ago
The Moment. Paulo el momento crucial de mi vida lo experimenté hace 11 años. Era joven y era el momento de su llegada. Tuve una crisis nerviosa y el ritmo de mi vida se detuvo de forma forzada. Este momento ha sido sin duda el peor, pero gracias a él se reconstruyeron pilares que sustentan mi actual vida. Así que a su vez fue el mejor momento de mi vida. Desde entonces mi vida ha llenado de nuevos valores. Pienso que el momento es a la vez agradable y duro. Así se nos muestra con frecuencia la vida.
Mandarawa
· 1 year ago
My turning point was two years ago when I decided to stop being a nun. I used to spend my days meditating and working for the spiritual community. I had very peaceful life but there was something missing. I was feeling lonely. I wanted to be close to someone. So I decided to follow my heart and I left my community. Today I am married and I have little baby girl. Sometimes I wish I could spend more time on prayers but in a way I feel my prayers are more real now. Every day I have so many opportunities to practice all these virtues of love, patience, giving etc. I am not living in a big spiritual community and maybe I am not spending so much time meditating but I feel that my life now is just spiritual in a different way. I feel that I had to leave and that it was actually step forward on my spiritual path. The challenges of ordinary life made me better person, more sensitive and more compassionate. I can not hide behind my robes anymore. Now if I want my life to be spiritual it has to be deep in my heart, not externally.
Liliane
· 1 year ago
Hello every one! I believe that I have some "turning points" in my life. I am not quite sure if they are "turning points" or an "enlightenment moments", but I can say for sure that those are moments of light! About eight years ago, I was eight months pregnant of my first daughter, when my father died... Well, he was a healthy person with this cardiopathy, a valve disease. We never knew about this disease, and neither he knew. So was a big surprise for all of us. And he had to go through a very complicated surgery, a valve transplant. Those were very difficult days... Days of lots of prayers. So much tension. And a week after he got home, he died. I never ever else in my life felt so much sadness... grief... And I could never forget that inside of me was a little girl who was in the same grief with me... One day, my mom was crying and very worried about my dad. Because he wanted to confess his sin, and could not do it... So, now, he was probably at the purgatory, and might not be able to got into heaven... In this very moment I realise that the way I understand God is different than some religious preach. God is pure love! Then I felt myself free to look for knowledge. I know, it took some years more to live another "turning point", a moment to assume my way of living my spirituality. In this path, I met you Paulo (thank you so much for making your books so accessible! Thank you!), I met nun Coen sensei (a zen buddhist nun, who encourage me to change my life), I met teacher Hermógenes (a very special yoga teacher, who inspire me with this phrase: "My soul is thirsty of God!"), than I met my partner, companion of this new life, Vitor (a very special person who changed his life after a cancer). Together, we met Dalai Lama (with whom we took vows to use our life in benefit of all living beings), we took nuptial blessing with Karmapa (who gave us some advices of keeping a good relationship), we met Thich Nhat Hanh (who show us the blessing of the present moment). So I understood that every moment can be a "moment of light"!! Every moment can be a "turning moment". The only thing we need is to be open. And every change and choice starts some good things and bad things. You will decide what is going to receive your attention: the good things or the bad things... I say choose the good than you will be able to learn a lesson.
Thank you, Paulo, for opening this space for shares!
"Pace e bene!"
With palms together, Liliane (from Brasil)
Professor Found
· 1 year ago
I thnk that time is deceptive. The only moment that truely exists is NOW - constantly re-defined by our interpretation of it. 'Memory' and 'anticipation' are creative tools we keep ordered in 'timeframes' to aid our 'work in progress' - the creation of ourselves.
butterfly65
· 1 year ago
to sawtauntha, I admire your strength and courage!
Sunitha
· 1 year ago
Let me give a brief background before I tell you guys my story. I was 17 when my mom and I came to United States where my aunt promised to take care of us and assist me to go to college to earn my degree. We are originally from Hyderabad, India where my mom worked as a lecturer. We came over to US with lots hope and excitement as any other foreigner. But what we expected was not actually planned by God. My aunt kicked us out of the house after 5 months. We had no place to go and my mom didn’t want to go back to India. We went over to a church and asked them if we can stay there for couple of months and they were more than happy to help us out as we didn’t have a penny with us. Coming from Hindu Brahmin family, it was tough for us to get used to the church. I was brought up in a very strict Hindu philosophy and Brahmin culture so it was the toughest things for my mom and me. I was very strong headed as I belonged to an upper caste but it was then I realized that religion doesn’t matter but being human matters.
My mom and I used to work in fast food restaurant to make a living. Finally we started saving money so that I can go to college. Church was our biggest asset we had. We did odd jobs here and there and we had to walk 2-3 miles everyday between work and home. One day it started raining pretty heavily when we started going back home. We were about 45 minutes away from home and my mom prayed God to just wait until we get home. I remember the day so well when she was praying and requested God to stop the heavy downpour until we reach home. To our surprise the sudden down pour stopped suddenly. We weren’t that shocked when the rain stopped but to our surprise the moment my mom turned the door knob the heavy downpour started with the same force. My mom and I were just taken back with what happened. It was then I started believing in God. Even though I was brought with all the rituals and customs, I never felt God but that moment was too much for me to digest. Even today when I think about it, I get goose bumps.
I earned good with my 4 year degree and for the past 1 year something inside me was not happy. It was as if something inside me telling me to do something. That’s when I came across the books by Mr.Coelho. Every book I read made me a person that I was not before. My entire perspective of life changed so drastically. Before I was a miserable creature, I was unhappy, pessimist and jealous of material things I didn’t have. But everyday, my life is changing so much. I guess God gives us choices to make and somehow I also feel he makes us pick the option which will take us through the spiritual journey (if mentally we are ready to take the spiritual path). So, coming to the turning points, now I feel every moment is a turning point. Every choice we make, every decision we take is a turning point in our life.
Boomfriend Ruerd
· 1 year ago
Last sunday was a turning point for me, cause i felt very uncomfortble and restless nomatter what. Until i turned to my inner guide that told me i could ask for the oneness Deeksha blessing. Suddenly i felt better, and i did some checking on the internet and found the oneness Deeksha website. It comes from India and is like Reiki a healing method, practiced by an increasing number of people. I found one willing to give me the blessing from a distance. Actually from india coming sunday. So ill experience it myself. Ive had previous experience with reiki so im openminded concerning complementary healthcare. And on top of that i received a email about someone who is a practitioner in my own province. So ill check it out. The fee is nominal, you can receive a treatment from distance for about 5 euro. Who nows i become a practitioner myself
Soulgreet from Joure
Boomfriend Ruerd
Anapa
· 1 year ago
In hope this may help to anyone confronted with any turning point...
It all began with the death of my brother... at that moment I thought everything was changed for worse as I lost him and parents somehow as well, then friends and finally a touch with an outer world... as the object of mockery became introvert and so my only reality was a fantasy world of Tolkien's books brother has left, of our childhood and - my art. Therefore, pain was constraining me towards good organic things! On the other side, by being immature, I suffered long time for not fitting into any fellowship or society mold, and for not experiencing civilian night-life... And in many attempts to fit-in I started to fit-out and betray myself as often as I could which brought even greater suffering! But all the time pain and disappointment were quietly yet firmly pushing me towards art...
Then, another two very close contacts with death occurred... and were warnings that finally forced me to surrender to intuition and world of spirits, to childhood favourites – nature and animals, to embrace my being as is and not to be ashamed of it and create from love and for love, all the time restoring the faith in good people.
Three times death was in fact a womb that nurtured a comprehension of everything changed for better and of life gifted, not destroyed!
Hildegarde
· 1 year ago
The wheel keeps on turning,...every moment gives the possibiltiy to change your direction for better or worse.
All that I experience nurtures my inner journey that enlightens the way that I'm walking. There were some intensive moments in my life that brought me close to death which made me die too. The anger and fear that I felt in these moments were caused by the suffering of loss. The day that I realised that you can't lose life by death I woke up.
I'm thankfull for the day that gives me life and for the night that brings me to the other side to meet the depths of my soul.
Is there better or worse when you go beyond?
Love Hildegarde X
Esther
· 1 year ago
I missed the words you said Paulo after 'for better' (lost in enunciation I think).
For me, the moment for the "worse" was when my father asked me to 'don't tell your mother'. I have recently discovered how I have lived my life creating people around me hold me as "their secret life" and how it caused unnecessary drama in mine! For the "better" was when I had the courage to accept and bring light to how I've held 'secrets' in all areas of my life and expose them for what they really are, nothing! I'm now being trusting and causing trust and openness around me and life is showing up fantastic everyday!(still being tested, but I'm aware of it now) For me now, there is no such thing as 'better' or 'worse' it was and is just the way it is, perfect for my lessons to be learned while I'm here.
Naini
· 1 year ago
When I became mother of a daughter. Who changed my self from top to bottom to become the personality who gives her child a total comfort and care. before her birth I use to take things for granted ,due to past tragedies, I lost my sister and mother before my Marriage and tried to mange my self in the present atmosphere, as that was only my grieve, why to share it with other’s but deep down I became insensitive, self centered, harsh. Manipulator. But honest to Allah that due to lack of absolute knowledge, I don’t know y I become so lonely, I actually do not complain for my past tragedies to Allah because. He Has the Ultimate Knowledge for every thing and what ever he does, is the righteous. As Quran says that Allah loves his Creation more than every fatal love. And especially He takes the exam of all believers turn by turn. And it was my turn. But as I said before that He love his creation, he gave me a “Gift”, my first and the only child my daughter after the three years of marriage, and I turned my self into malleable sand .which accommodate situations patiently, and now my past become my teacher I start remembering my childhood as a lesson and my Mother and sister as a teacher .and reflecting my self as my mother did to me. And enjoyed the moments where I felt my child is sharper and wise then me. (Masha Allah). What ever I am is because of Him (Allah) Alhamduillah, and I may not able to thank my Allah for his Infinite offerings.
SENAD
· 1 year ago
I want to share my story with the rest of the world and see what everybody thinks. I was a victim of a crime last year and I almost got killed .Weapon was involved .I stayed alive and I waited for my trial for 17 months .Finally last week it was a trial where they let the killer go and he is not convinced.So he is FREE now because witnesses were on his side,where they LIED about the case and judge couldn't prove my case.Now,where is the justice in United States?The criminal is walking free now and I am asking my self,who is next?This is the moment for me and I think also for humanity to think about my case and judge again.This is not just about me this is about all of us my friends.But I will not give up,I will fight for the TRUTH and this is my moment. Thank you for asking this question Paulo.
Soraya Denney
· 1 year ago
Dieting already? This striked a cord with me. I have been such a big woman for such a long time and 4 or 5 years ago I went on a 'diet-change', no a diet, but a 'change of diet'. Anyway I lost 30kg. But I am still big...but the most miraculous thing happened, I had a 'mind change' - I felt that God brought me onto this earth with a healthy mind and body. So I will thank Him by keeping it so. I now try to eat well and exercise regularly. I am a big girl but I am healthy inside. I thank God for the healthy body I have now and to thank Him for this blessing, I will try to keep it healthy. I have a great trainer (Brett Crosby) and he trains my 'core'. I now have strength, balance and confidence to carry out my life's work with a healthy body - it is not weight, the size, the curves that matter, it is health - as a 'thanks giving' to God - we don't know how long we have our health with us, so might as well look after it and enjoy it. Soraya
Yosoyyo
· 1 year ago
When I was eleven or twelve or so, I was reading the newspaper--actually on the toilet! I read a story about an earthquake in rural Iran. A father was interviewed; he had said goodbye to his seven year old daughter in the morning before she ran off to school. Later that day, the school collapsed, killing all the schoolchildren inside. The father was consumed with unending grief. It struck me so deeply, and I couldn't stop crying. I can't tell that story without crying, I don't know why it struck me so much when there are always horrible stories like that in the news. I wonder about her father, still.
But from that, I knew that I cared about other people and could never live a life not true to that. I could never think unimportant things were important for long. It was tragic but the love that makes it tragic is the most beautiful thing.
For Senad--the "justice" system mainly acts to protect those with power. It is not so satisfying to know that the perpetrator will have to live with the karma he has created. But you can work to help others that have been in your position (or to prevent/protect others) and find beauty and meaning in that.
Marie-Christine
· 1 year ago
I am ambidextrous. I can do things with one hand or the other at times. I am also extremely clumsy and cannot read instructions, I just follow my intuition. I guess my creativity surfaces like that. I am also very rebellious. In the last few years I have lost all members of my immediate family. It has been a trying time because I was living so far away. I felt a lot of guilt about that. I also couldn't phantom why this was happening to me, I always was the strong one, the one everyone relied upon, yet I was the one that had cancer and that nobody asked how she ever felt. It was quite bizarre, the expectations that were placed onto me. I also started to question where I was coming from. Asked a few questions around. Did not know anything at all about my family history, was never interested in it. A pattern started to emerge. It was a bit daunting. From one side of the family to the other, things were not what they were supposed to be. I had to dig a bit more, from my Mum side things remains to this day unclear. Although I caught her "in full flight" one day nothing has ever been admitted. From my Dad's side things were easier I could make more sense, my grandfather left his Mum when he was very young and his Mum died when he was 14. He was then brought up by his grandparents. I had noticed how anxious Dad was all the time - I came to the conclusion that he was suffering from abandonment - and he passed that onto me. His grandmother, was a person that worked really hard all her life , with hardly any sleep at all. I also found out that she had a few mental problems - in other words was probably a schizophrenic - This really hit me hard, because one of my immediate family member has also been diagnosed as being a schizophrenic ( by taking drugs). I have never forgotten the day that person came to tell me that when they were on drugs they could see the people's soul. I still have goose pimples as I am typing this. I knew then that what was being said to me was the truth. I still did not know about the conditions. I was very concerned and approached the doctor on several occasions, to do something about it. The Doctors hands are tied. There is nothing they can do about it as that person was an adult. One night in bed, I was reading a Time Magazine's article and this is what I wanted to hear . I then knew that that person was suffering from either bi-polar or schizophrenia. The use of Omega 3 was also mentioned in that article. Then came the night where that person stayed with us with the beanie over the head and that fragile body that could not hold itself together, it was real agony - you felt so helpless - then trying to convince that person that he had to go to hospital to have something done - etc,etc. I came onto Paulo Coelho's site after clicking through the TV on a boring (I get bored easily especially if I don't do anything that interests me). I saw a man dressed in black in Iran and I heard a few words like" a mental institution". I had never heard of Paulo Coelho before. I did not get the name right either. I typed something on the computer, nothing came out, then a few months after the name re-appeared. Could have been an interview during the war in Iran - I'm not sure - Anyway, I got the name right he had written a book called the "Alchemist" what was that? no idea and I could not care less anyhow at the time. So I looked through the site and I sort of watched what was going on, that's my way of doing things. I liked what I saw, it appealed to me and it was just what I needed at that time. I remembered I think the first time (and that really amused me) because he got really cranky - something to do about the Pirate Coelho's bit - Anyway I posted something about that. It was as I recalled the first time I ever typed anything on this site. It was quite unnerving because he is asking all these questions, however does not say anything about what his thoughts are. Humm, I could not understand what all this was about. Although you had the sense that somebody was watching at time.
Paul from Austria
· 1 year ago
I've been waiting for the... right... moment... for much too long...
I was an exceptional scholar and possessed extraordinary musical talent... but... due to an egotistical indiscretion of my father at a critical moment in my scholastic career... I was removed from that place and my first dream died...
After throwing me into a terribly brutal school, my father then insisted that he was not prepared to feed me any longer and I should get out of the house... and find my own way...
I did what I had to do to survive, and as a member of an elite military unit, fighting a secret war in...., I had the unpleasant duty one day, of bringing home the corpse of a colleague to his parents. They didn't believe the official cause of death... and they were right... but I never told...
I was given a few days to myself for doing this, before having to return... during this time I met a girl on the street who I had always secretly adored... and she invited me in... and to my astonishment she told me how much she had longed to get closer to me... and the inevitable happened... after I said "but you must realize that I return to duty tomorrow" she said "don't worry... I'll "not" wait for you" and I can remember crying like a baby all the way back...
A few years later, my parents divorced... I haven't seen my father since... and I slowly began to realize that I really was alone in this world...
Some twenty years later, having literally travelled the entire globe, I finally found someone who was prepared to wait... the turning point came a few years later, it was clear that I needed to end my travels and finally grow roots, there in the place where my destiny had lead me...
The next and certainly the most positive experience, occurred with the birth of my child... this has given me more than anything I have ever experienced in life to date...
... she is the true reason for my being here...
I love you all, for sharing your experiences and turning points... Long Live Privacy Zero... & Paulo Coelho... (another turning point)
Love, Paul
Viv
· 1 year ago
Hi Spiritwolf, You are quite right, but being aware that we are surrounded by endless moments of potential change is the first step to exploring one or two. Believing we are locked into a fixed path is scary but in some ways discovering there are millions of different outcomes is even scarier. It's what kept the late Syd Barret of Pink Floyd from even getting out of bed much of his later life, in case by starting one path he excluded all the others. cheers, Viv
Marie-Christine
· 1 year ago
I liked the style Paulo writes and it suited mine too - short sentences - Anyhow, time went passed and towards the end of last year I had my "Ah ah!moment (Oprah)" Boy oh boy that was quite something. I kept reading everything I could about that man. I was and still am addicted to that site - although I am trying hard to tone it down - Then I knew I had to take some steps as I reached a very dangerous path.The path of "no return". I decided to go ahead with it, because it was important to me. I knew that this could be something big. I went "loopy" . When I looked back over all my life,it had been filled with high emotions and confusion, depression. I could not fit anywhere and I felt isolated most of my life. The reason of me taking that course of action was because of what happened to that VIP person. I am against taking pills for depression and I believed in my own mind that you can beat depression through a more approachable way. I read the first book of Pr D. Servan Schreiber "Guerir"" healing" and I liked his way of thinking.I could not have done this without the help of my other 1/2 and the guidance from Paulo. I went along with this, it was quite hard at times, quite comical at others and very trying - not recommended to the faint- hearted - I now am convinced that you can beat the beast and I am proof of it. You might think "Gee she fancies herself." that's okay by me. The suffering of that VIP was enough to keep me going because I don't want this to happen to any young people anymore and I feel the Medical Authority should start listening and be pro-active about that.We are allowing a generation of young adults to become vegetables and are doing absolutely nothing about it. I believe this to be criminal.
marja
· 1 year ago
There was a stranger. The first person who ever really listened to me It started with his words "You never waste my time" The way he said it I knew he meant it. I wrote this poem for him http://dutchcorner.blogspot.com/2007/11/letter....
Nelson D'Silva
· 1 year ago
Dear Paul from Austria, for you a few lines from the Mahabharata – Compassion is the highest virtue. Forgiveness is the highest might. The knowledge of self is the highest knowledge. There is nothing higher than truth.
May the spirit of truth always be with you.
Love and strength, Nelson
Jessica
· 1 year ago
I forgot for the better ..sorry ;-)
But in a way all the bad changing moments has turned up being a lesson for me to push me out from my comfortzone. Making me think in a new direction.
The best changing moment in my life is when I became a mother of my two beuatiful daugthers. Nothing can compares with that feeling holding a new born baby in the arms. Making me having tears in my eyes again :-)
Love and light Jessica
Teija
· 1 year ago
The Moment
I think there is a change every day when everything might go the best way possible or the worst. I have got one turning point in my life right now - I am not talking about those everyday changes, because this is something much bigger.
I went to school September 3, 2007 and because of that I had to move away from my hometown. Eight months later I said to my fried from school who were from same city that I was: Lets move together back to Kajaani, which is our hometown.
So we rented a partment and we drove to school everyday together. My friend was having a hard time when we moved together and I helped her to get over it - and her did get over it. She and her boyfriend started to date again and everything went back to way it was before.
A few months later I heard that my roommate was expecting a child and I need to move away - so I went to talk to madame who were renting aparment of my friends boyfried. And she was happy that I was intrested of the apartment. So we sign the contracts and that aparment were soon to be mine. My roommates boyfriend said that it was okey if I move to his apartment but sins that he started to treat me like I was causing all of his and her girlfriend(my roommates) problems.
Yesterday I drove my things to apartment I am moving in. Because of that my ex - roommates boyfriend got really mad, even thought I had his promise that I can move. He made my friend to call me and she said some things about my behavier that isn´t true. I got absed about that and I said somethings I shoudent have said. I touhgt thrue night thinking what went so badly wrong when everything should have been okey...
This morning I phoned to my friend and said I am sorry about yesterday and she was sorry too. Now we are taking a break from each other for a wail.
Now I am thinking is it possible that my friends boyfriend comes between me and my friend by causing these arguiments between us by his own behavier? I even think have I done somethig to him so he has a right to be mad to me? what can I do to stop this? I feel that I am not aloud to go my own apartment because he has lived there before...is that crazy or what...?
I know this is a minor problem but to me it is a roadcross - can I get over this feeling that I have done something wrong...?
Teija
David
· 1 year ago
my moment is when I suddenly had tinnitus in one ear around 2 years ago. It is still there. It changed a lot for me. I changed job because of it, I started writing, I started playing guitar again,... Although the experience of tinnitus, the way I have it is not too severe, is negative, I try to see it as an invitation for change. I do think that bringing myself into balance again will help solve this.
Wouter
· 1 year ago
When I was 20 years I read "the alchemist". It learned me to follow my own life. But lost the road again. When I was 27 I read "the zahir" and I knew who en and what "my love of my life" was. A week later I read about the travel to Santiago De Compostella. I saw my inner messenger and knew who I was. I found peace with myself. Thank you for your books. They learned who I really am.
Kirsten
· 1 year ago
It happened on a February day, nearly ten years ago. That magical and terrifying year, the last of the millennium. My first year as a mother.
My world was to be rocked. I was dragged to hell and back. Exhaustion and pain. Eventually I came up for air. I looked down at the tiny pair of brown eyes in my arms –for they soon turned from newborn charcoal-grey to the deepest brown- and felt like I was sinking. Sinking, drowning, struggling. All those things a mother should not feel.
And I was unable to see. That tiny pair of brown eyes appraised me, critically. Was that possible? Now that I know my son better, I realise that it was.
The turning point in my life was the day I became a mother. Nothing has been the same since. This life that I brought into the world is a driving force all on its own. This life is a tour de force, a whirlwind. He is quick silver. He is deep. He is indignant. His dark eyebrows furrow when he senses injustice, as he does often. He is everything that I am and everything that I am not. Is that possible?
The day I became a mother: colder than ice. The days blurred. I stopped running. The winter trudged slowly through to spring, so slowly.
The Italians said 'e uno di noi', the child chuckled, and I was afraid. Fear and dread. Inexplicable, this was what I had always wanted. To become a mother. To link hand in hand with a tiny life force who would lead me into the future. Into that unknown terrain that belongs to him.
Nearly ten years later he takes my hand and I look again into those eyes, glinting, as his fathers' do. I see the man ahead of us. The child becomes a man, a man of my own making. Is he a man after my own heart?
This is the turning point. The sum of the parts… produce what? The future? A mystery? Someone who will break my heart? Maybe.
Someone who will show me the way? I hope so.
Lamya
· 1 year ago
The first moment was a phone call we received early one August morning, to inform us that my mother had died. Four Augusts later, I'd lost also my father and a friend. That moment I knew that I will live my life under the shadow of death, with the fear of losing someone every August that passed.
The second moment was when I looked into someone's eyes, and saw a light.I knew that from that moment, death was never going to rule my life, and I felt alive.
hazel
· 1 year ago
My life sure has a lot of turning points. Both for the good and the bad. Most of them happened when we moved to a different country. After that big move, I saw how my life changed. I try to look at things with a positive perspective but the past 2 years and a half has been a struggle. Its hard when you see someone who love get hurt. Its like stabbing you straight in the heart. Sometimes, its just wasn't enough that you also have to take some blows on the way. At the end of the day, you survive and you get stronger. Although sometimes, you feel like you've lost half of yourself. And then, when you feel like your going back on track someone is saying goodbye. I know change is inevitable and its hard to go against it. But how do you fight when every good step you take you lose something valuable. I know everything happens for a reason even if sometimes we don't know what the reason is and most of all i know I have to fight and that I'm certainly not ready to give up. These thoughts are coming from a 18 yr old.
Paul from Austria
· 1 year ago
Thank you for your kind words Nelson... they are certainly wise, and I truly believe that God, the Universe, doesn't miss a single moment of injustice... the truth prevails... and as we have said... the power of forgiveness is mighty.
Love & respect, Paul
Adina
· 1 year ago
Hi, Paul from Austria,
How old are you?
From your life description I can recognize a piece of my own father's life before marriage.He start the army at the age of 15, because of poverty, not because he liked it, and he died at 55, colonel. The truth is: this is the life of a soldier: the sacrifice of personal life.Kids will suffer for sure if you will mix army kind of life with the real family life. But yes, kids are the most important fortune of someone.
So my father had to wait for too long to get "the moment". Now he passed away few years away,of brain cancer (he never, I mean never had been ill in his entire life, but suddently...left us. I dreamt about him that he was really happy in the other life and that he was considered by God I gess "together with heros"...That was a realy nice dream.
And gess what, 4 years afetr he left this life, I gave birth to the only boy in our family, and this baby come out from me with his right hand to the right eye, like a soldier says "hello". The entire hospital become mute of admiration when I said: his grandpa used to be a soldier all his life and now he is gone. But...something from him is back...
So reading your post I remember my dad. I love him. He is happy there.
Don't forget about your wife. She gave you a little baby. This means:LOVE, this means "the moment" you desearve.
Regards,
Adina (33)
Adina
· 1 year ago
Hi, Mandarawa,
You are so right. I was about to become a Christian nun at the age of 18-19, but while some of my friends did it, I didn't. You know why? I have so much to give to the people that I can easily consider to be a nun is a luxury and somehow a prove of egocentism (meaning "I am keeping just for myself the secrets God discovered me;I want to enjoy only myself the miracles"...I think the biggest challenge is what Paulo is having with his readers or potential readers. He share. He share himself in a specific great way we all know.
You know so well, I am sure, that God had and has not only saints among men and women, but also he has martirs,poets (David),some apostols came from fishermen, custom people, philosophs, or remember Magdalena and so on. I am trying to say that He works through everybody, he has no discrimination. So, as a mother, or a married person,you cand still continue (even with no black robes anymore) the life before. (PS: Now I explain myself why I usually wear black clothes...interesting)
Adina
Walaa
· 1 year ago
I am waiting for the moment that will change my life to the better.. Just hope it hasnt passed without me noticing it.
Aashika
· 1 year ago
Love changed my life, for better and for worse. I'm only 21. The moment I had my heart broken changed my life forever. Love has helped me uncover all the wonderful warmth I am capable of feeling, it has taught me to look beyond myself and give to others. However, love has taken from me as well; when I gave love I lost so much of myself. I have reached a point in which I don't ever want to love anyone with so much of my being ever again, the cons have officially outweighed the pros when it comes to my choice in loving.
The moments that I turn to religion also change my life. It seems that is the door that is eternally open for me. Through religion and the moments I share a connection with it, I feel closer to the person I want to be. I move away from being bitter, and feeling like a victim to being hopeful and ever so thankful. I find myself believing in not only the goodness in my heart, but in the goodness of the heart's of others. I find myself.
Infinite x's and o's, Aashika
otropogo
· 1 year ago
Can one have only ONE moment that changes everything? How will you recognize it? This question really made me search my memory, and all I came up with is this very short story.
I was three years old. My mother brought me to an unfamiliar building by car, and there, in a narrow bed, against the wall of a small private room dimly lit by a single window, lay my father.
I think I knew he was dying. He said something to me that I can no longer remember. I believe it was some trite expression, such as "look after your mother". And then we left. I never saw him again.
A day or two later, a car came in the middle of the night, at 3 am, I believe, to take my mother to the hospital. And then I definitely knew he was gone - my only friend, with whom I had never even had a conversation....
Coelho Fan
· 1 year ago
I would like to thank you for this topic.
A moment that turned my life for the worse was when I cheated on my boyfriend/bestfriend. We have been together for many years and somehow I began to feel unappreciated. Friends and family were saying that it was about time that we got married and I got scared of that. I began to doubt that he was the guy for me and I didn't realize it then that I wanted to escape from the relationship. But I was a coward. I couldn't end it leaving myself alone. To make the long story short, I slept with a guy who was all wrong for me. I did it despite the alarm signals in the head. I felt so guilty about it and hated myself so much that although I was able to escape my relationship, I got myself into something much worse.
I stayed with the guy I slept with for the next two years which turned out to be the lowest and saddest point in my life. He was a sex maniac. I happened to be someone who was abused in childhood. Looking back, I guess I stayed because I wanted to punish myself for my bad behavior. I got to the point when I wanted to end my life because I felt that I had no hope for happiness anymore. And what's worse was the realization that the one I truly loved was the one I left. I knew he wanted me back but I didn't dare go back to him because I believed that he didn't deserve someone like me.
The turning point in my life when everything turned out for the better was when I decided to be brave enough to face life alone that stay in the relationship that was sucking the life out of me. I never expected that it would lead me back to the arms of the one who was truly meant for me.
Every since I was a child, I always believed that there should not be one iota of doubt in the decision to get married. I married this man believing that it was God's will for us to be together for life. It's been ten years. I still can say that we have lived happily ever after.
Paul from Austria
· 1 year ago
Dear Adina, Thank you so much for your story & kind assimilation to mine. I'll soon be 56... and yes you are so right in saying that a soldier's life is for many quite contradictory. As was the case with my father, I was not exactly a soldier, rather we both had specialist abilities which were directly utilized/needed by these elite units. My father's core speciality was medical, mine was always aviation.
But as not to digress with ancillary details, the most important similarity in our consecutive stories, is that despite the pain we have obviously suffered over the years due to the lack of having Dad at home or nearby, we do now understand and have forgiven them for their absence and mistakes, in fact we can now even thank them whole heartedly for their "Sacrifice"...
Here's a wonderful song by Mike & the Mechanics with Paul Carrack; (In the video Mike Rutherford (Genesis lead guitarist) is depicted with the young boy & Paul Carrack sings in studio) The coastline & the portrait of the man in navy uniform remind me so much of my birthplace and my Dad.
Enjoy, and please be sure to note that there is No Self Pity in my Story... rather a chronology of turning points...
Love, & solidarity, Paul
THELMA_023
· 1 year ago
My dearest Paul from Austria, I have just read your story. I have tears in my eyes, tenderness in my soul and I am proud of you and the wonderful man that you are now and for you being our friend and Path companion. I also thank you, Paulo Coelho for relieving our souls from ..the burden of well hidden memories and still bleeding wounds. I am not sure yet what to .. confess about my own turning points.. Until Monday.. Love, Thelma p.s. Beautiful song and beautiful scenery dear-est Paul. I must listen to it again, to understand all the words.T.
Jan Christian
· 1 year ago
My turing point was September, 11, 2001. Since this time I try to do something for more peace in world. And this chanced my life. First I has founded with friends in Germany a non-profit association in 2003, called "Lifepeace - for peace in everyday life" But it doesn't worked. Maybe, because I didn't have a clear imagination to this project.
But currently I do a second try: with dogoodo. The idea is simple: Everyone can tell his suggestion to make the world a better place. And everyone can read this on www.dogoodo.org. As an inspiration. To promote. As a demand. Maybe you are interested to take part in dogoodo? Cause in my opinion everyone must be a do-gooder, everyday. Mail your solution to jc@dogoodo.org - together we can do!
Love jc
marian bonelli
· 1 year ago
i think, so far, my worst moment came in the second i knew my dad had died, it came the second before my mom opened the letter telling her so. i was 10, they were divorced, mom had moved us to england, too far from california where my dad and his new wife and my new brother lived, so my plans of seeing him again one day were gone... not forever, i have kept him alive in my thoughts and know we will be together again one day... i shall keep him waiting a while yet. but this happening changed everything for me, my whole future.
enjoy everything you do paulo, and been been following you since 1998 when i read the alchemist. and traveled with you on your long walk, i have dear friends now from then, others bloggers who followed you also.
take care, marian
montse acevedo
· 1 year ago
Well, I could say I found my turning point the very moment I gave birth to my blog. That was the beginning of the end. - The end of my suffering from not having someone to tell all about me. - The end of my lack of self confidence. - The end of my isolation. - … Now I know there are people waiting for me to write something new about my life, thoughts, feelings... The JOY I feel is indescribable. Love
SantoshKalwar
· 1 year ago
"Moment", a precious time,the moment defines not a running time but the stable time. The period which does not tick on, the clock which is stable for a while. This is called a moment.
A moment can give you a pleasure, a moment can bring loads of tears in your eyes. A moment will make you happy, a very moment will make you sad.
When every seconds we live is in the edge of dynamic moment. It is always changing. Moment that Mr. A experiences should be different then what Ms. B experienced.
As we can see, there are moments with every one with every moments people have experienced many good and bad virtues. Therefore, I always tell people that moments are changing all the time. It is never yours. It will create the memories but it does not last long.
There are many good moments in my life but are all these moments really memorable ? Do I really want to cherish all of these moments? Should I filter the best moments and describe it with true beauty ? How should I tell what is good or bad ? Everything in the world is based on "dualism".
The concept where, there are two sides for the same coin. There are two aspects for example in electricity- on and off, there are only two bits in computers: 0 and 1, there are two things in human life: either you live or you die, there are two ways to look at many different things around the world.
If I have to judge a moment in my life, then I will say- every seconds that I live is full of pleasurable moments. These moments are helping me to create my life. I am because of these moments. These moments are dynamic and changing all the time. I know which one is the best and which one is the worst.
But again, I will keep both of them alive. I know those around me who have experienced the bad moments but I will like to tell them how to keep it alive. Nothing should be taken in bad ways, Everything whatever happens, happens for good. There is nothing permanent on this mother earth/
Every object around has life. Whatever you see, whatever you touch, whatever you have purchased last week is yours. The object when you purchased was given to you. It started living with you. Suddenly one fine day- you decided to eat, use, kill, hang, throw and do whatever things with these objects.
While using you will some times remember some of these object but some of them you will not. For e.g. the "pen" that your best friend gave you last Christmas, the gift that your husband gave you last summer which stays with you all the time. I am sorry to say but let us say, your husband is no more and you still have that precious gift that he gave you. That created the moment, the object was born and object is living with you.
The "moment" when your husband gave you this gift, turned into "memories". The object still remains, it is yours and no body can take aways from you. Nobody ! Not even God !!!
"Every step of success or failure we make, is the step some one has already taken"
This quote is mine please give credit when you use it some where. Why am I saying this ? What value do I get when I say that you should give the credit to the creator ? Because, your creation remains but those who created this should also remain. The same idea is with the object and the moment. It is very simple ! See.
Without "moment" there is nothing, and with "moment" there is something which does not want to let go. It will remain deep inside me and us. It will only go when our body will turned into sands and the our creation will be cherised by some one like you who is reading it right now !
Have a great weekend ! :)
--Author of the book "Nature God". --http://www.kalwar.com.np
Heidi Gray
· 1 year ago
My life has been full of turning points and magical moments,starting right back in my early childhood.A tumbling chain of events that lead to corridors of doors to choose from.Some doors leading to your true self others taking the long road back to yourself. At a very young age i found myself at the top of the sport i was forsed to do by a crazed wicked man,who happened to be my father.After years of torture and torment i went off the rails,found drink and men and promptly ran away from home,aged 16.spiralling out of control and suffering terribly from deppression,i finally had a nervous break down at the age of 19.This was a big turning point for me. I went to sleep one night and had a really strange dream about a feotus[like a lucid dream].I woke the next day and just knew i was pregnant.I went to the doc's and he confirmed it.That day i felt like someone had pulled a veil off me,i took myself off all my perscribed meds,the drink everything.I knew i had to change my life. I have spent much time alone as i found no common ground with my own age group.although this time has been hard and sometimes painfully lonely it is the best of times.on my travels with my beautiful daughter i have met many wonderful people in the most unexpected places. It is very hard to pick a moment because ,every moment is special and life changeing whether we realise it or not.I have so many tales to tell as does everyone .we all have our tales of happiness and sadness. Heres to living every wonderful moment we can.xxx
Savita Vega
· 1 year ago
Happy belated birthday to you too, Nelson D'Silva!
Stacey
· 1 year ago
I saw this question earlier in the week and wondered what my "moment" could have been... then yesterday my mum told me she has a brain tumor... a moment I wasn't ready for and I'm sure will be a turning point in my (our) lives
samiam500
· 1 year ago
The ‘best moment’ of my life was when I meet, and married, the most beautiful woman (in my eyes) on this earth. The ‘worst moment’ was when that marriage ended. Life is good again and there is pleasure and beauty all around me, but life still hasn’t regained the ‘magic’ that filled my being during the years I was with her. Thank you for letting me share that with you:-)
Angela M.C. D'Alton
· 1 year ago
Hello Paulo.. There have been several moments in my life when change has occured that first come into my mind...for better the birth of my two children and for worse the death of my parents. There is also one significant time..I had a wonderful job teaching English Literature to adults who were trying education a second time, they were people with many problems and had hard lives but they were having a go..I did this for 10 years and it brought me great joy.and I learnt much from these people. One day in 2000 the management changed and this new officer from hell arrived. I cannot say too much because it is legal ongoing for the last 8 years...but for the next two years she hacked away at my hours and those of some of my colleagues until it became untenable to stay working...she told lies about us, made up very strange stories, wrote poisonous letters...it is never ending so in January 2002 I had to leave this job I loved with a passion. The bad side of this was obviously financial but more so it felt as though someone had come and had put a knife through my career, through my soul...i felt who am I. People ask what do you do , I used to mumble..I didnt know how to answer. I didnt want to go through whole story. The effect on me rippled out to my family which was bad. We had very little money so their 18th and 21st birthdays went by with quiet celebration and small gift. The wonderful thing about all this..is that I had to dig deep..dig much deeper than before. I learned the values of life more acutely. My children say to me that they didnt need big presents or parties to know that I love them..so they had to dig deep too and realise this..I also found I didnt wish harm to this person, because I believe that in time she will be the architect of her own unhappiness. I have grown and have more understanding of what life is and what is important to me and also that no one can destroy my soul and my spirit. I am writing a novel in allegorical terms which I also hope one day will be filmed..I would like with the money I make to set up a centre for the people who need education and need to make a new start. I have learned so much in the last eight years and have done things good and bad that I wouldnt have done if things hadnt changed, but I have learnt from everything. I know myself now and I like who I am......with love Angela
Anapa
· 1 year ago
To Hildegarde,
What is 'beyond'? There's no boundaries, or they are so thin as between vigilance and dream... Subjectively was not dead, but was dying. And yet strange how people say 'lost consciousness' because at that moment I felt loosing of all body-senses for this world but my conscious was all prepared for another. But I haven't seen my body from up above, or had all memories passing before my eyes, no. That's why it can be compared to a state of being in a womb – you know you were there and it was not unpleasant but have no further remembrance... More important are omens.
“Le sommeil est un emprunt fait a la mort.”
l.o.v.e.
Avantika
· 1 year ago
In my case too the moment that changes everything for the worse changed everything for the best . After two years of dental studies and a VERY large amount of money paid for my education i decided to quit the course and as i didnt have the strenght to face my parents and shatter their dreams, i tried to commit suicide but it didnt work and i had to end up confessing everything to my parents . I explained that i always wanted to be a psycologist . And then i spent the next 6 months struggling to get into a new course and finish certificate formailites and at each step i thought i would fail and those six months were the most depressing days of my life but now its all over and i am doing what i always wanted to do . And i finally feel like i am connecting to the soul of the universe coz i have started listening to my heart once more .
Marika
· 1 year ago
Everybody has in his or her life such moments, so I have had such moments too. Life is change, isnt'ít? Sometimes there is no choice and you have to take life as it comes and you hope and pray that you can overcome it, there was actually no choice at all. When my little son appeared to have a severe hearth problem that only once was operated in England and when my beautifull little daughter died the other year, when I got ill, I had no hope, no choice. I continued living for my children. I'm glad I did'not stopped to continue my life, though it was too hard. That was my choice: to continue to live for my dear children. Marika
Ivo Marinov
· 1 year ago
Sem sabe-lo, Vc tem sido meu amigo por muitos anos. O guerreiro da Luz , mudou a minha vida, mas tmb mudou a visão que tinha sobre a vida. No meu íntimo sei que sou uma pessoa melhor, mas sei que isto afastou e ainda afasta gente de mim. não tenho pena...queria dizer-lhe: OBRIGADO PAULO! Amigo, Ivo
liz gllagher
· 1 year ago
Many moments have changed my life, but my most recent epiphany occurred when I set foot in Rio de Janeiro for the first time this summer. My grandfather had emigrated from England in 1924 and my mother grew up there. She returned to England in 1942. My life has always been full of Brazilians, Portuguese was my second language. I had never been there in spite of numerous offers of hospitality as I felt I could not stand to spend time living in luxury in the face of poverty. When I went this summer, arguably 40 years late. I met Yvonne Bezerra de Mello and she took me to Project Uere. I visited Franciso Brennand in Recife, my mother's home town. I found my Grandfather's house. My moment of change was when,I understood that I felt physically comfortable with Brazilians, in a way I have never done with other peoples. I discovered that I have a Brazilian soul. Though a stranger I felt I belonged. I felt I had come home.
Ivo Marinov
· 1 year ago
Anos atras, sonhava que seria o primeiro ser capaz traduzir a sua alma em búlgaro. Sentia-me pequeno e ainda sinto, afinal como se traduz a alma cuja fonte é a sabedoria universal?
Mikusya
· 1 year ago
It's kind of difficult to talk about it but I will. The moment which changed for the better: In my adolescent years, I transferred into another school, then started getting bad grades. My teachers kept giving me "F's", so in the end, feeling depressed, I took a handful of pills. Fortunately, didn't die but a half-a-year after, was in the hospital, because something was wrong with the heart(the effect of the pills came out). So I was in the hospital for 2 months...when I got out, started to value life and nature and everything as a whole.Was happy to be alive. Just like in your book by the way- "veronika decides to die".
Moment which changed for the worse: Started dating a guy, which I didn't like from the start (didn't listen to my intuition). But because he kept going after me and being nice and saying kind words... he pleaded so much, so I started being with him. In the end, found out that he got a girlfriend already and when I tried to break off the relationship- got raped by him and couldn't run away. That's when everything went downhill. Didn't report him though and felt used, was threatened by him too; was ready to end my life; counted every minute; became scared of everyone and everything; cut my own hair off, which was long at that time. It took me quite a while to get my life back on track. Still, I don't trust anyone and am scared to be alone with anyone.
Noppie
· 1 year ago
One was when I was five a few days after my mother father had passed away. Where an angel came to visit me to tell me everything would be alright. I ran and told my parents which only upset them.
The next moment that radically changed me. In eight grade I had learned that my father had cancelled my art class. He at first denied it and said that only rich kids are allowed to take art classes. I became very dysfunctional at school. I tried to actually attend the art class my fellow classmates were taking. But the principal was very aggressive in denying me access and threaten any teacher who attempt to appease me.
I threaten to run away and screamed and did everything I could to let them know how much I hated my parents for denying from be allowed to take art at school. One of my father threats was if we where really bad we would be taken away to a reform school, which was like a prison for children. My eight grade wood shop teacher also taught at a reform / juvenile detention center. Where he said the students were allowed to take art classes
The first time I ran away I was only gone 3 days before the police caught and took me home. I told them I wanted to juvenile detention center so I could take art class. A few days alter I ran away again. This time I stayed off the roads and traveled through the woods. I was on my own for ten days. I could see the large white building surround by a fence that my father had pointed out as the juvenile detention center. But there a a very high fence that used a barrier to stop animals from entering the beltway. There was barb wire and other obstacles that prevented me from climbing over. So I followed the fence to a major road, found a gap in the fence and travelled along the that road. A policeman saw me and chased after me. I eventual out distanced him but he kept following. He promise to take me to the juvenile detention center and handle everything. But he lied. He took me home.
I told my parents that if they did not allow me take the art class, I would ran away again and again. They refused. It was not that they could not or it was impossible. They simply could. They had the the authority to do so and used that power to deny me my art classes. I ran away several more times. And on my last attempt I made to the white building my father pointed out as the juvenile detention center. Which was not. It was the home of a rich man would have either attempted to kill his wife or girlfriend. Because of his wealth he was confined to his home. Upon enter his property he called the police. I talked to him for about an hour before the police arrived. His story did not match what I later read about him in the newspapers.
Some time later, the police came to my home and took me to a juvenile detention center where I talked four inmates and a counselor. They made it very clear that if I ran away again. I would end up there and I would not like it at all. I asked my parents and the principal to allow me to take art class, they refused. That was to take the very same art class every student in my class attend every day. I realize now that since I did NOT run away I accepted defeated on one level.
When the time came I enlisted in the Marines. I did return home to see my parents from time to time and even lived with them after leaving the Marines. But they never accepted my desire to draw and seem to despite I had that talent. Later I moved out. My parents would say I did not have the right to be an artist or to draw, I did not have the right to run, I did not have the right to train in martial arts. These are things rich kids do. I worked and paid my bills, purchased a home and still they said I had no right to do these things.
So for many years I did the things I enjoyed. Last year my sister passed away and in the process, I inherited her children. Now I can no longer draw, run or train in martial arts. Many of my extend family members promised at my sister's funeral that they would help. I knew they would not but hoped I was wrong. AND I knew the moment I said yes to look after my nephew and niece my life would change and it has.
Through out my life there have been people who had some type of authority and are not bothered by taking some type of action that causes harm. They will not be bothered with forms, petitions or pleas or act of kindness. They can be opposed but price is often too high. Since you are not going to win there is no point in making it easy for them. You will be tempted to cheat lie and do things you know are wrong. Which I guess on a spiritual level is what they want. But accepted it is accepted to live in hell with yourself. On occasion you will win. One of the lesson I learn in my martial training. IF your opponent has to cheat, lie and or be dishonest. Then this means on a symbolic level you have won.
Kate
· 1 year ago
Bon Dia Paulo ~ my first "accidental" visit to your site and my confession ~ I feel I've had a million worse moments - my first sister died almost 60 yrs ago, when I was 4, my second sister when I was 8, my father when I was 12, by the time I was 25 all paternal and materal grandparents were dead; my mother died when I was 32.
Those death were all "natural" - SIDS, cancer, an accident - whatever. I thought all of those deaths were about me - toward me - against me - for me. I never thought of how any of these tradgies effected anyone else - but me. I thought I was the only that suffered, the one that suffered the most. I'd count them up and blame my lot in life on them - for my mistakes and yet credit them also for the strong person I know I am.
Then, 10 years ago, another worse moment - my husband divorced me after a 30 yr marriage and remarried within 6 months.
I was still reeling a year later, when I received an invitation to vacation at a friend's house - and I went. She and her family are well-off; everything in their home looked perfect - work, children, parties, a live-in maid. While after the divorce, I could manage only to live in a one room, walk-up apartment, and work two jobs to survive.
While I was with my friend, it was the maid's night off, and she had forgotten to grate some cheese for a dinner that night. My friend was furious - ranting and raving about the maid, planning to dock her wages, to make her work more - horrible things, for forgetting to grate the cheese.
I said give me the cheese and I'll do it - my friend was amazed that I would do what she considered such a lowly task. She left the room, so as not to have the cheese smell in her hair during dinner that night and as I grated the cheese, I had an epiphany.
I saw that my 50 yrs of life, wasn’t so terrible – that I was able to grate cheese not worrying about “cheese-smell.” That this little problem was the smallest of all of my problems and I recognized it and took care of it - just as I had taken care of, prevailed over all the other problems in my life.
I understood in a flash, that people handle problems differently and that I have to acknowledge and respect that, that not everything is about me, things will be about others and others will be effected. Most importantly I learned that sometimes it’s just about the cheese – to just get on with your life – to do the task at hand. Ciao, Kate
Noelle
· 1 year ago
I do not know if this is where I can share my moment but if it is, here goes... One day while I was spending time with my friend and lover, I saw him beginning to change clothes. After questioning why he was suddenly getting dressed instead of undressed, he said he was going to rob a store. I told him he was crazy and that I would no longer be involved in the string of robberies we had previously committed. We fought about the matter while I went to my car and gave him all the crap we had been using to disguise ourselves, however, in the heat of the argument I shut the trunk without giving him the fake license plate to put on his car. Two hours later we pulled back into his neighborhood and cops were everywhere. I knew life changed in that moment, but in hindsight it was the moment I shut the trunk. I was only trying to stop him from going down the wrong path, I only wanted him to become a better person. Although my intentions were good, at that point in time, it was entirely to late to change the course of things. We ended up going on the run for a couple weeks before my family turned us in. Those weeks were filled with real living, which was stressful and beautiful at the same time. We truly lived each second as if it was our last together, our last as youngsters, our last as who we were. I never experienced a range of emotions like those I had at that time and I am proud I have made it through all that has happened since then. To live passionately, like I did during those extreme circumstances, is the goal I now set for myself everyday.
jodi
· 1 year ago
dear paulo and friends,
in my experience, there's been many...
there's always a moment that arises when i begin to doubt the choice or decision i've made and the circumstance gives rise to one last moment to change it, but i don't - then for some time after, continue to reflect on that very moment, where things could have unfolded differently or 'better', if i changed my choice/decision - this is when i know that i may have made the incorrect decision. although, through reflecting about it, i learn more about myself and then begin to reflect on whether or not it was an incorrect decision, if it involved growth to my being...
it seems though, when life is better as a result of the decisions i make, there is no reflection - just gratitude - and perfect flow of everyTHING...
then i reflect on whether there is such a thing as an incorrect decision... for 'better' or 'worse'
thanks for the invitation to share :)
love jodi
Alireza Hejazi
· 1 year ago
the moment is my life. when I feel relax,lucky and happy. it is my teacher. my awareness in moment led me to the right way I know its signs and its language . moment is me,moment is my date with my Sweetheart, it is my heart beet.when I touch her beloved body. the moment is endless time. when I feel calm and warm.
THELMA_023
· 1 year ago
My dear Paulo Coelho, this is not a 'place' for .. confessions!Just you and me ... and the whole world:} are listening. Every minute that passes, is a turning point, a series of choices. Me, being born Libra, since I remember myself, I was always thinking of the ..opposite post, the second, the different, the others' way of thinking, the road of 'Good or Evil' in front of me. Every step / choice is that which forms our next step and life. Sometimes choices are forced from circumstances, contrary to our intentions or dreams. Sometimes life was making the choice, which I call Karma, destiny, the 'written', the Divine Plan. We do not choose our family, our parents, our place of birth or our talents. The crucial moment is our ..birth, which inevitably leads to our death. We live a.. double life of two parallel worlds which co-exist. The material and 'inner-life'.Every minute that creation takes place, we become a .. new person, but all our past thoughts and experiences are 'stamped' on our faces, aura and soul. One event that was a turning-direction-point in my life: At the age of 18, in just a moment of despair, 'blackness' and distress, I abandoned my musical studies. I came back home and for many years I could not even touch my fingers on the piano.I thought, I was going to live a life of a ... 'normal' girl, wife, mother. But to be 'different', an 'artist' is not something that you can 'take off'. It is in our cells, in our whole 'making'. So, I think, I have lived the life of .. someone else, the 'wrong life' and for this, I do not blame anybody. It was 'destiny' and my ... heart's pain. I thank God for all the treasures he has given me and the most important for me is the love that I feel and the love given to me. I am grateful for everyday of life, my family and for being here with you, especially for 'meeting' Paulo Coelho, who has showed us with his books and paradigm that we are not alone and that we are all ... winners of LOVE. Love, Thelma.
elisabeth delage
· 1 year ago
me also many turning points,i was 21 when my first big love died by accident.each time, i lost someone i love,my parents,my dad before and my mom after christmas,my best friends,each time was a turning point in my life.i wrote i love because this love is still there!many time to accept...the sorrow is the side of love so difficult to cross!but also the birth of my son,this great joy,at this moment,22 years ago,i knew that my life had changed forever again.so your books,this place of peace here with all these deep thoughts,questions,and nice people, help me a lot.bonne journée à tous!love and peace in your hearts!
nikki
· 1 year ago
moment of change...
a stillborn child...
there is nothing, nothing in this world that allows one such clarity to the fragility of life...
Paul from Austria
· 1 year ago
God bless you dearest Thelma, Now you're making my tears flow... I believe everything does happen for a reason, and although it may not be immediately apparent, it is truly God's will. Had you become a world famous concert pianist, perhaps you would have been deprived of the joy of becoming the wonderful mother that you are... it's the most important profession in the world... As it is not becoming of a WOL, I will not make a comparison... but I believe you are fulfilling your charted path perfectly... for which, I am sure, you will be justly rewarded... Love, Paul
Ravel
· 1 year ago
Por favor... faça uma versão em português para o seu blog.Valeu!
Renata
· 1 year ago
…Likus trims dienom iki kontrakto pabaigos JAV, papuoliau į žiaurią autoavariją. Tikras stebuklas, kad po jos likau gyva… Kai pirmoji būtinoji pagalba 911 buvo suteikta, vyrai stebėjosi, kad mano kūnas toje metalo laužo krūvoje buvo išsirangęs taip, jog visos jo dalys išliko nepakenktos… Kaip Mama pasakojo, komoje išbuvau dvi su puse savates. Dar tris su puse - intensyvioje terapijoje. Pati įvykius, nors ir labai blankiai, tegaliu prisiminti po keturių savaičių nuo atsidūrimo reanimacijoje… Kai pasibaigė mano buvimo laikas ligoninėje, prasidejo ilgai trunkantis reabilitacijos etapas. Mat, viską reikėjo išmokti daryti iš naujo: mokytis atsisėsti, paimti šaukštą ar šakutę ir valgyti, išsiplauti dantis, susišukuoti galvą, taip pat mokytis iš naujo rašyti… Bei žengti pirmąjį žingsnį… Niekada lyg tol nesusimąsčiau, kokie neįkainojami yra dalykai, kuriuos atliekame kasdien… Kol jų netenkame… Man tai buvo didžiausias atradimas. Kiekviena diena tapo stebuklu - tai absoliuti tiesa, jei turėsime galvoje visas tikimybes, kad kiekvieną mūsų trapios egzistencijos sekundę gali įvykti nelauktų dalykų… Ir dabar šis tebesitęsiantis reabilitacijos laikas buvo ir yra lydimas neįtikėtinų ženklų, kurie vis kaskart liudija apie globą iš aukščiau... Suvokiu, jog visos kliūtys, kovos ir kančios yra tik sumanyti iššūkiai, kurie padeda atsiverti ir dvasiškai augti. Ir visiškai sutinku su mintimi, jog „Nelaimės yra deimantų dulkės, kuriomis Dievas gludina savo brangakmenius“. Gera žinoti, jog esu vienas iš jų Jo kolekcijoje.
maria
· 1 year ago
My turning point includes the better and the worst in my life, but I hope things can get better as well as I´m afraid the worst is yet to come.
Paulien
· 1 year ago
I'm not sure if I have such a moment, such an impuslive thing that happened that suddenly changed everything... I do have things and other moments that changed me greatly, and all for the better actually...
One of those moments was at a pagan festival in holland called Castlefest. The thursday night before that weekend, I lost my precious flute (a low D whistle) on the beach, when we had to run from a huge storm. It felt as though I had lost a piece of myself... Immediately after I had noticed the flute was gone, I ran back to find it, but the storm was too badly and we really had to scram... It kinda hurt that I lost it, but somehow I was able to deal with it okay, because I'm a moment person and I believe everything happens because it's made that way, one way or the other, and it's for a reason... But still, I longed for that beautiful flute... Then, that weekend on saturday night, when me and my friends gathered near the main stage for the great show of Pagan Night. Suddenly, a pal of mine called Gijs came up to me and adressed me, and suddenly all faces turned on me... And he told me that he and everybody else had a present for me. When he said that, I totally saw it coming.. He and everyone else, all my friends and family there together, had bought me a brandnew low D whistle of Susato. All those people who had chipped in money were my family there, the friends I already knew but also people I didn't know, and who didn't even know me, but they just wanted to help... I was so flabbergasted and so happy and that's a moment when I realised what wonderful people I've got around me and how I feel connected to them....
A second thing like that occured only this last thursday. That night, Derek Ogilvie was here in town for a signing session, in a Selexys bookstore. In the first place I really wanted to go and see him, but I already had a painting to put on display in a new-age store and I had tons of other stuff on my mind, so I decided not to. I'd always been without a doubt that I would one day meet the man, one way or the other, and that moment would be the right time and place, so I let it go. But then, as I was standing in the store talking to the saleswoman that night, I got a mobile PM from a friend, saying she had just had a big Derek hug. And that's when I suddenly remembered the signing session and the impulse nudged me to go for it, so I told the saleswoman that I had to go and I started running to the bookstore. I arrived there out of breath and I was just in time, too, for two minutes later they closed the door behind me. I was last in line, which wasn't that long anymore, and when it was finall my turn to see him, the lady from the store asked if I wanted to take a picture. But I said no, I didn't want a picture, and no autograph of Derek, I just wanted a hug! So I hugged him and I thanked him for all the beautiful things he's done, but then he looked at me and said like: "Thanks... thank you so much, I really needed that". I was totally awestruck! And he was just looking so sad... So I hugged him again, haha, telling him it was alright and okay, even though I had NO idea what was going on. So the bottom line of that... In an impulse, I went running my lungs out to a bookstore because I deperately wanted a hug from Derek, and I felt I needed one... But instead, it turned out that I was the one giving him a hug, because he really needed it... And then I thought like, what if I hadn't decided to run? But I did, and I think I did because he needed not particularly me, but someone that night, and something just like.. stirred the universe that made me run to him. And it also reminded me just how much I love Synchonicity!
I'll tell one last moment, in short... It was when I first read Veronica Decides to Die. That book changed me, forever, and for the very best. Because it totally struck me at the heart, telling me to WAKE UP DAMMIT, and I started to read other Coelho books as well, and it was as though reading about my own views and beliefs, and that's when my level of conciousness started to change, drastically... As I'm writing this, that moment when I first read about Veronika, was five months ago.. So I'm still in the middle of that change, it's almost like a transformation, and even though I'm having a tough time keeping up with myself right now, I'm totally enjoying it... Thanks Mr. Coelho!
Marie-Christine
· 1 year ago
L-ove o-lways V-it in the E-nergy
Love always lives in the energy El amor siempre vive en la energia L'amour vit toujours dans l'energie
Yeeha p.c. you rock!
:D
Anneliese
· 1 year ago
For me the moment was when I decided to pursue my personal legend and study what I felt more passionately about, regardless of how much money I would make, and I study everything that interest me about Spirituality, I have come long ways from where I started, and have a long way to go, but I know this is my path!!! There hasn't been a wrong turn, there have been regrets about decisions made, but everything has worked so that I learned the lessons I needed to learn no matter what I do, so I don't think there is actually a wrong turn, I think the lessons you need to learn will follow you wherever you go, there is no escape, there is just being proactive and learning lessons instead of feeling a victim.
THELMA_023
· 1 year ago
My dear-est Paul from Austria, thank you for your love. You have said in your own 'turning- point' above that you found out in an instance that you were alone. This feeling can be experienced even if you are with other people and there is lack of understanding. Then the distress is bigger. The other turning point that I wanted to tell you is that when I was sick and afraid of the worst. In my dream, I saw myself carried by doctors and nurses for a surgery and suddenly appeared a most handsome man with the sweetest expression, dressed with clothes from another era and he told me I am going to make you well! I asked him : who are you?? The answer was: I am Damianos. Next day, as usually I did not remember anything but after I had taken my daughter to school I sat and suddenly the dream came in my mind. I phoned my sister and asked her: Do you know any Saint called Damianos, because I saw him in my dream and I want to go to the church and light him a candle[this is Orthodox tradition]. She said : No I do not think so, but I remember in St. Francis of Assizes, there is the .. church of St. Damianos.. Maybe in the .. Catholic church. In an hour I phoned to my best friend, Annie and told the story and she told me to looked at the diary with all the name's days of our church, that it was given to us as a present in a gathering we had been together. The letters were so small and me with short-sight I took a 'lens' from my daughter's desk.[I say this long story, just to show that I really did not know, who he was] Yes there is a Saint named Damianos!! Exactly there are two brothers Kosmas and Damianos, they were doctors and called 'Aγιοι Ανάργυροι' [Saints of 'no-money']. I went to a church to pray and thank him and in that 'modern', recently painted icon, he did not look the one in my dream. Then in a visit to a small church in Paphos, in the icon there was the same .. man of my dream. For me it was a miracle that I keep in my heart as a diamond. It is the reassurance that we are not alone. It is our Father's love expressed. I have surrender my will and desires to His will. I found my peace. Love and God's Love to all of you, Thelma p.s. Please forgive me for .. talking so much and spending your time. T.
This is how I have learned, I have listened to the language of signs. it's freaking amazing! But I dont' want to find out how it all works, once I reach the final destination, I will ask all the questions i can. Until then, I need to enjoy the Gift the Universe has given me.
Lourdes
· 1 year ago
A couple of months ago I allowed myself to fall in love again... Everything was so perfect, so pure, so nice.... We are like soul mates in every sense of the word.... Yet, we are so far apart from each other... You´ll see, he showed up in my life like a spark of joy and happinness, and we changed each others life, but unlike myself, he was still attached to a painful past... He was married to a woman that nearly destroyed his life... We wanted to change the world in one night and start a new life together, but we forgot the most important part: before we could even dream about it, he needed to be free. Today, I realized that even when I´m convinced that he is the love of my life, we will never be together unless he closes that other door, that other story of his life. But is so damn painful to move away and leave behind all my dreams, our dreams that I honestly feel destroyed.... Today my relationship took a turning point, a very painful turning point, but I realize that even when it kills me to be away from my loved one, I will never be able to be with him unless he breaks the chains that attaches him to his past.... It kills me not to be with him now, but I wish from the bottom of my heart that this sacrifice ends up being worthy and that at the end of the tunnel, I find the peace and the happiness I´ve always wanted to have....
Vitia Hoffmann
· 1 year ago
Yes, many times we come to this moments of changing. Within my experinecen is many time, when we should something overcome, to go next step in our life. Like a couple of lovers, before a marriage. They a fall in love, they can't see anything other then them selves. After they goet married - they start to live together and new situations, challenging ar coming to them.Sacrifice, accepting the secondone habits. If they overcome and grow in they hearts, they go next step of level of heart. After are children born , and new challenges are coming.
Biger sacrifice, losing like "ouselves" world, complety giving oneself to children. If we wann this , then we go next level.
But many times is not easy. Many times we loose. Like a fathers - for them sometime is more difficult to sacrifice their tiredness, not to lay down on couch after coming from job, but to play with kids.
If they winn, children are happy, wife is happy- the husband become a most precious and loved peson in the world.
When they loose, kids remember "a picture of father laing down or reading a newspaper", wife is angry,....
I have experience, that amost always before this kind of changing a very hard time is coming - same as before to come on the top of the mountain, we feel we can't do it, but ... If we make one small step forward (even we fell we dyi) we can winn everything.
And the prize for it is very very good feeling of succes, of peace on our soul, mind
To go left or right, to good or wrong, never come in one second, every time is a process, like you have writen in "O demonio e a senhorita prym".
And everytime is our conscience, speaking to us. Is good God created like that, otherwise this world doesn't exist already.
Everytime we feel don't worry you can do it, just we are afraid to follow this silent voice and we decide kind of "easy way".
carol collins
· 1 year ago
Hi Paulo and friends.
So many moments of Change....
It is truly enlightening to hear your expierences...there is never forever only the moment...as the song goes...
When I awake from a dream and feel completly at peace as if the dream has worked out the cause of my anxiety from the depth of my soul. That moment is a treaure a changing point.
Listening to te Band Dead can Dance lifts my heart to realms never experienced before.So in tune with subjects of importance.
Reading a book such as the Earth has a Soul "Jung" when what you read seems to connect to your very core of exhistance, your reason for being here. The same feeling I expierence when connecting with the words of you Paulo, these moments of greater understanding assist with a clearing the mind of unnessasary clutter. That prevent us from moving on to the next moment, to change what is the wrong path for the good of our selfs and others.
Understanding the importance of the Moment is the key. Its the Gateway to the possibilty of change.
As always Paulo you hit the nerve centre of whats key in life to be openly discussed, thank you!
Warmly Carol.........
Diane DeFruscio
· 1 year ago
Dear Paulo,
My 'moment' came just a few short days ago. After 52 years, I finally recognized my truth. I had been living my whole life in the service of others. It had always been what I had done best. It was just a way of life for me. I had known all along that I was this person and I was quite content with myself, but people kept telling me that I should put myself first for a change. I began to think that maybe they were right.
I was spending many hours on MySpace enjoying connecting with the most beautiful people and listening to the most talented artists from all over the world. But there were many who simply were vampires, and recognizing my caring attitude toward them they began seeking to use me to promote their agendas. I allowed this to the point of self neglect. I was trying to teach them my way. I wanted to show them that we should love and respect one another regardless of our talents, intellect or beauty. I wanted to stand for an attitude of appreciation and gratitude and ultimately love for our human family.
MySpace was designed to be a place where 'people' could connect, share their gifts, and possible develop real friendships. I accomplished all of this and it was worth the thousands of hours. It was worth a lifetime to me. I got back so much more than I invested. I learned much from the most brilliant people. I experienced music in a very profound way. I felt the heartbeat of the Universe from sea to shining sea. I found truth, beauty and love at every turn.
Still, there is only so much one person can do. The time came when the love was more than any one human being can handle. I left MySpace because I had done what I wanted to do and because my cup was full. Can we change culture, you ask. Oh, yes, we can! At last.
With love and gratitude, Diane
Jennifer
· 1 year ago
Hello Paulo and the world,
My first moment of real change came the day I met my boyfriend. Pieter and I met in our first semester of college in an Art history course. He had come all the way from Belgium to study photography in Chicago. I had just left another University to also come to Chicago to study photography. It took us an entire semester to have enough courage to talk to one another. The last day of class after our final exam, I waited outside to approach him and talk. That moment of courage changed my life forever. I really do believe people come together by chance for a higher reason. That evening in the middle of January (Chicago's coldest time of year) we walked nearly the length of the city getting to know each other. We stayed up the whole night talking till 6am. That day Pieter told me, "Jennifer, I will love you 110% and don't ever forget this." At first I was shocked because it's not everyday that someone says such a bold statement after only having really met and spoken for the first time, but deep down I knew that he really meant it. From that moment on Pieter and I were inseparable. What Pieter told me that day was in fact a true testament to his character and the way he lived his life, always in the present moment and full of love. Throughout the years we lived together, worked/studied together, and supported each other through our love and knowledge for photography. It was not only our relationship that changed me, but it was the way Pieter expressed his unconditional love to so many people. Pieter was an example to me of what love really means. My second moment of change came on September 11, 2007 when Pieter, at the age of 27, passed away in a cycling accident. What many people feel after experiencing the death of a loved one, usually fear, sadness, anguish, were not my initial feelings. I did indeed experience pain, but along with the pain there came an incredible feeling of peace and Pieter's presence. At the present moment I am staying in Belgium for some time with Pieter's parents. We've read some of your books and often discuss them between each other. They also give us comfort. I just finished reading "Like the Flowing River." Two reflections that resonated with me were 'Reflections on 11 September' and 'My funeral.' I am grateful to share that Pieter did everything he wanted to do in his life. He was following his heart and dreams and enjoying every bit of life he could, through good and bad times. I would like to thank you for giving us the idea for Pieter's epitaph. It's been over a year and Pieter's headstone remains blank but for his name engraved on a simple black square. The other evening Pieter's father had finished reading 'My funeral' and announced to us what he thought Pieter's headstone should say as well. "He died while he was still alive."
There will always be moments of change, but it is how we perceive these moments that determines whether for the better or worse. I'm grateful for every moment I had with Pieter and the example he was for me and others he had made contact with throughout his life.
Live fully, love well!
Jennifer
Marshy
· 1 year ago
The Moment- "My first post-mortem care"
Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Yes im a Nurse, a Registered Nurse. 4 long years of study about how to take care of the sick people, memorize the medications they have to take, analyze and relate the diseases,the causes and the possible cures. Of my exposure to the hospital,i never get the chance to clean the body of my dead patient. Or rather, no patient died under my care. A very good Nurse may be. . . but not until my 3rd year in college. The 1st patient who died in my arms was--my mom. I went home 41 days before her death. In that brief time,i applied all knowledge and learnings at my best. But that's not enough. Its too late. She died on 13th of May. Weird coz as if she chose the date since her favorite number is 13.
Until now,2yrs after she died of renal cancer, im still grieving somehow. I really missed her. . .
im not really sure if this is a "for better" or "for worst" moment. But i just have this enthusiasm to post this story in your site. i didnt even post this in my own blog. i just want to share it with you Paulo,who inspired me when im was experiencing "the moment". Thanks! =)
Sara Ahmed
· 1 year ago
As i was growing up i was a straight 'A' student, but i wasn't exactly happy since my best friend moved to another Emirate. And it depressed me. Gradually my Grades kept getting lower, didn't make me feel better, since i really did study. I just held back on purpose. I never knew why. I am a social person, and friends wasn't a problem for me. Till 7th grade came, and i failed my finals, in my two favorite subject English Literature and Mathematics. It crushed me. My parents were very understanding, but they kept nagging me on why i did fail. The thing is I didn't even know why, so how could i tell them ? :/ ..i had a tutor all summer, that made me work my butt off, he was surprised i failed too, since obviously i was doing amazingly great. Anywho i repeated my exams and i Aced them! But the tutor suggested i moved to a different school. I moved to my new school, and maintained my grades. I was actually HAPPY again, i found out what REAL FRIENDS were. I discoved a lot of thing, I was ME for the FIRST TIME, and I LOVED ME! <-- yeah it kinda sounds selfish, but its true. Its not always that a person feels like they really truly belong somewhere...and there I was, an 8th grade student with a new life, and everything i ever secretly hoped for.
At the beginning i thought failing was going to ruin my life, that i cried my self to sleep, ever night through out the summer. But now its the best thing that ever happened to me. Sometimes blessings DO come in disguise.
I am happy to say i am a happy, smart, social and loved 12th grade student now, yeah i moved to a different school now. But i still go visit the school that changed me and made me a better person :)
PS: tried to make it as less dramatic as i could...xD
Jose
· 1 year ago
The moment was when my 20 year old girlfriend (I was 19) told me she was pregnant. I was in shock and a bit scared but we were in love so we decided to get married. The biggest change was that I had to get serious about life in a hurry...work harder since I was the head of my new and young family...forward 20 years later and here we are, still in love, still married now with a beautiful 19 y/o daughter and a 17 y/o son. Would not change anything...
Jeeva
· 11 months ago
Athena at D.A
I simply walked over to ensure the time of the day I was living on was the real time of where I was. So many numbers on screens, I stopped at a screen that showed what I thought would be time. It was 08:27, blinking, and was in a bigger font then others on other screen. I decided to sit at the seat facing the screen; the decision that created Athena at D.A.
Three seats away, I asked if the numbers on screen were actually time, Athena answered, giving birth to the moment, a moment I am still trying to relive.
At the end, Athena said that the “experience” would not exist today if I didn’t initiate, but Athena created the moment without the first step. It was like standing on an escalating belt, simply moving, in no direction, at a different frequency speed, making everything else a mere other life. We were in another life, in an instant.
The next 5 hours went by, we paused to look outside the world we’re in 3 times, to see TIME. TIME; something that does not exist in that world, all that exist is moment, moment after moment.
During this moment, we spoke, we shared, and we found, everything from past to present and future, about certainty and uncertainty, about chaos. All words that is from this world, but has insights that can only be seen from that world. About people, and what they’re capable of. We shared trust, in a strangers place, with no hesitancy, the world is never a strangers place for her anyway. She trusted the universe, and could see what the universe was giving her and keeping her away from. She had a relationship with the universe. She understood the language.
Amz
· 11 months ago
The defining moment that entered my mind when watching you was the time I was kissed by an angel. I was taking a lot of hard drugs on a regular basis and was involved with a man who I was madly, madly in love with. I would have, at that time, done anything for him, anything with him, anything he said. I have never experienced anything like this love since or previously (it was actually at this time that a friend gave me your book "The Alchemist"). Hopefully if I do experience this love again I will be more prepared (if such a thing is possible). The angels' lips were cold, almost like I imagined 'a kiss of death' to feel like. I believe that this was a warning to take better care of my mind and my body. There was more to my life than this and this is what I was being shown. I had choices in life and the ones I were making at the time would have shortened my life considerably.
jeeva
· 11 months ago
just adding a website, another moment of change for me. Doing what makes me happy, so i can spread more happiness :)
Dateing
· 11 months ago
Hoping to watch this [Saturday] evening drove to two Asda stores; first informed me NOT available, second older staff-member had never heard of it, younger ‘it was on Bravo’ [I do NOT have Sky & Blu Ray is way-cheaper].
All Comments
It seems that the moment for me that changed everything for the worse also changed everything for the better. December 4th, 2000 my 20 year old son was stabbed in a tourist area of Vancouver by a 39 year old crackhead. He was in a drug induced coma for 21 days and during that time the medical staff at the hospital kept telling me that Jeremy would not live and if he did then he would likely be pluralized or brain dead from lack of oxygen. (due to profuse loss of blood)
I never gave up my faith and for some reason knew that he would be fine. I kept fighting with my family and the staff to keep him on life support and to bring him out of the coma by reducing the medications. I had a confidence and peace that he was here on this earth to serve a purpose and that job had not yet been done.
Since his recovery, which has been long and painful, I have learned many important lessons. No longer am I a prisoner to material possessions, they unlike people can always be replaced. I live each day with serious intent to create a positive impact and feel driven to give of my time and expertise to others.
I don't care about money or fame, I put my energies into preserving mankind and the environment. So the most terrifying moment of my life has lead to the the most glorious existence and given me a purpose that is clear.
I tend to think that life is full of these turning points; when something bad happens, it can turn to good and vice versa. Therefore, I think most important is to try to focus in this present moment and try to do one's best for this present moment. Past is past and we can learn something from past. Future isn't here right now but we can do something in this present moment for better future. Therefore, I think every moment, just as they are, are turning points.
With palms together,
Uku
First I didn't believe in it, but my parents went on repeating that I was the right person to study that subject.
My lucky star, or whatever else I don't know, helped me and I was successful at the entrance examination, even if I hadn't studied anything.
I decided to stop before the first examination of the year, but then I met my Professor (a sort of the monk described in the Pilgrimage in Roncesvalle), and, afer his lesson he came to me and he told me everything about: my character; the caracter of my parents and the caracter of my sister.
In that moment I thought I thoug:"If you've been able to do it I also can do it".
I made my choice.
I could choose a different way, I could say to my Professor :you've been lucky or something else.
I didn't .
I've found my way, even if the path is still long.
have a nice day
The feeling that swept through me was of overwhelming acceptance of the situation and of my role from then on. Luckily, my answer seemed to come from somewhere deep within and so I answered compassionately. It was not a conscious decision or thought... it came from somewhere almost eternal, ancient, healing... so perhaps God or the heart?!
However, I have had other less impacting moments in life since then... and I regret always allowing doubt to enter before action is taken.
Crises can bring out the best in ourselves; a moment of intense clarity where we are not held back to respond.
I do also gain comfort and hope from that moment, since I realised early of the potential ... and ease for which true emotional response can be manifest.
It changed everything. All my life . I had an incredible job, I am fashion designer and I got the job of dreams. Suddenlly, when I arrived in Israel, after few months of extase with all the new country, I got myself depressive and without a view of my future in life. I lose friends, I lose my place at my mom`s house (1cause she didn`t agree with my attitude). I found myself alone. I got desperate and I past many days from morning `til nigth in the bed, crying....But, something change me inside.
And The same situation I can say that, Change my life for better forever. After few month sin this situation. I started to run after words to read, and I start found out the real reason for life. At least my life.
I found out that, here alone, I could find myself clearlly. What is the most pure essence of myself.
And alone? All of us, we are alone. people around us come and go. They are partners for the moments in our life. Like this, today, I enjoy myself and I enjoy much more every person cross in front of me. I know they they are here now, but one day, they go so....I enjoy my moments as much as I can.
I supposed to deposit cash in bank daily. but i was little casual in this matter and used to leave cash in my locked drawer and deposit it next day.
On day some one(from staff or management) broke that drawer and took money. the management blamed me for this. these were very difficult days. i had to pay all money which was 3 times more than my salary, and had to leave that job. i was jobless, and was thinking that all my respect and honor has gone.
But after few time, this negative incident started to give me so much positive energy and motivation.
I decided that i will prove these people wrong. i worked hard in my graduation studies (i started my study after 5 years gap).
Now after 4 years, i am a Software Engineer, have a degree and few valuable international certifications. Currently My main job is to teach high level courses like OCP(Oracle Certified Professional). And Getting more than 4 times i used to get in 2004. with so much respect and honor in my family, friends, workplace & every where.
if i look back, i realize that, every thing happened was part of divine planning. script has been written and every one probably act accordingly.
this was a turning moment, which changed every thing, for few year it looked worst time. but now i thing it was for better.
Thank you for talking about this subject.
I think that accident and such things happens in every mans life, but
the important thing is what we learn from it.
As you say some moment change your life forever, maybe it seems like the worst thing that ever had happened at first and you can´t see the divine in that situation.
But maybe there is a hidding blessing in that situation also?
I feel so anyway !!!
We can learn something from it.
For me I think it is that I have to fullfill my life purpose and not wait for something to happen. I have to take action even thought I don´t know the result yet. Let the control go and just spread my wings and fly.
This weak has been a lot of laughter, excitement, miracles for example in the reiki master course.
And also a lot of sorrow, first the accident that I was the second man on site to, I could have ended up in the accident if I didn´t forgot a paper at home and turn around, this took me 2 minutes extra.
Then yesterday night I also got caught in a snowstrom on the way home from the reiki course(the bus didn´t came).
That made me thinking of smashing a window in a store to get some heat because I couldn´t felt my feet anymore, then my fiance turned up in the last minute, and on the way home we picked up a men that had to walk because that the bus didn´t show up, he was
soo grateful.
So from one emotion to another.
I have felt like I´m in a movie, is unreal in a way, things just happens and I have to react.
But I have learned that we have to live our life to the fullest and not just let it pass us by!!!!
We also have to take care of each other sometimes we need help,
like the men in the accident and the men walking in the snowstorm.
Next time it maybe me that need help.
Love Jessica
1 hour left
the moment which changed my life...
short words to this:
my dreams (not daydreams-night dreams) got real, as I looked in the eyes of the prophesy...
i run away, but it changed my life completly.. cause i knew... those dreams, i have and will have.. get real. not every time, but i know them, if they come into my life and rule it.
there, i found to myself. My mirrow, which i thought is a dream, got real.
but i had to left and wait.
also, from this moment on, i know where i will go when i am death
from where i come (were created from)
also..who is the voice in my soul, who speaks with me and i didnt understand
so... enough.. ;-)
you see... still a moment which changed my life
Nia
hehe..so is it with dates...
it was the 11.12.2004
;-)
I am living for "the moment".The moment is the origin of your future evolution. Some of us sleep in this life or never learned how to see "the moments",or did not have the courage to catch it and see what follows next.Some are so afraid of new. The moment brings the new in your life.
My advise for young people mostly is never loose a chanse to become a better person or to obtain a better life.
I knew 3 years ago that is time for my life to change completelly, in a better way. In just 2 weeks I've seen al my dreams (and impossible dreams)becoming true. And I had to wait for "the moment" 30 years. The moment I was 30, all my dreams become true.All of them, just like that.Because I tried never to loose my faith.
So open your eyes. "The moments" are everywhere.And the BIG ones come for sure.Just wait a bit.Don't push destinity,just help it nicelly.
Adina :)
Going back, first, seven years ago, about this time of year: I was three months pregnant with my daughter when her father left - when he realized that he was not going to be able to talk me into having the abortion he insisted that I MUST have. At this point, he admitted that he was seeing several other women, and was, in fact, already living part-time with one of them. It was a clean break - from that moment forth, no further words were exchanged, except official notification of her birth, which he ignored.
Somehow, when all of this happened, I knew that the pain that I felt was a luxury that I could not afford at that time. I was afraid that my own grief would somehow bring harm to the developing child. So, within twenty-four hours of his announcement - an ultimatum really: "either you have the abortion, or I'm leaving" - I ceased to cry and never shed another tear over the matter. I knew that I had to be stronger than that. I had made my decision - I had made my choice between the man I loved and his child, yet to be born (although, honestly, it wasn't a difficult choice at all). At any rate, once I made that choice, I knew I had to be strong enough to go it alone. I knew that I could not afford to look back in regret, could not afford a single moment of grief. I had to be happy, and I was. For the next six months, I enjoyed a blessed pregnancy, and then a miraculous delivery. Even after my daughter was born, it seemed that angels swarmed in the air above our heads: she never cried, she always, always slept through the night, with the exception of the very first night after she was born.
In essence, however, I had lost the man that I loved (as much of a blessing as that may have been) and never had the chance to grieve over that loss. I just had to be "okay" instantaneously, and I was. However, and perhaps as a result of these circumstances, something began to happen that I wasn't really aware of for a very long time, not until very recently: Even after my daughter was a little older and I should have, perhaps, turned my mind again to dating; I didn't, I couldn't. No matter who came along, no matter if the prince of the kingdom strode my way, I was always "too busy" or, otherwise, he was "too young" or "too old," "too short" or "too tall," too this or too that - always there was some excuse on my part not to engage too deeply in thoughts of romance. After all, I had a daughter to raise, and that was my biggest excuse of all: I was a mother, not a lover, too engaged in raising my daughter to allow any man to enter very deeply into our lives.
For seven years I have lived my life with blinders on, oblivious if any man were to turn his attentions my way. Thus I have lived my life safely barricaded behind a barrage of excuses, reasons not to engage in anything even remotely resembling a romantic relationship at all. Then last night, in the middle of the night, I woke up. This is very unusual for me, as generally I sleep undisturbed from the moment I lay my head on the pillow until time to arise. I was still half asleep, I think, until I found myself standing before the bathroom mirror, staring at my own reflection. Someone inside of me was speaking, and I was listening, almost as though I had been listening to a stranger, or someone standing outside of me, behind me. "This is it!" this voice announced. "Look at yourself! It is now or never. Either you let go of your fears, or you live the rest of your life alone. This is the moment you must decide." And then I said, "Okay, you're right. I give. No more fear." And that was it. I turned around and walked back to the bed, lay down, and fell back asleep instantly.
Yesterday was my birthday. I just turned 42. Maybe that had something to do with it, but it didn't feel like an important birthday, didn't seem like a significant day at all. Not until last night, in the middle of the night, when I awoke and faced this voice that told me: This is the moment of decision. This is a turning point in your life.
So, when I woke up, turned on the computer, and saw this post, I can hardly describe what I felt. Shock? Surprise? Those words don't even come close. Electrified? That comes nearer to the feeling - like a cord has been plugged in somewhere, one that I didn't even realize had been knocked loose, and now, for the first time in a very long while, this electrical current is running through my life, the current of unleashed possibility.
-----
Now, as for the "negative" turning point in my life, the turn for the worst:
Maybe it was when I was thirteen and my mom tried to enroll me in a very good Catholic school - a school where I might actually have learned something - but, at the last minute, I refused to go, when I learned that we had to wear uniforms.
Maybe it was when I was sixteen, and my mom wanted me to move with her to the Cayman Islands, which were only just beginning to undergo development. Again, I refused, simply because I was a teenager and I didn't want to leave behind everyone and everything I knew.
Maybe it was when I was in my mid-twenties, lying on a beach in Southern Mexico - after having lived in Mexico for a year already - and someone came along and said: "You can't stay here forever. Someday you have to go home." I listened, and I packed my bags and I went back to "reality" as I had always known it.
But then, who knows? I really don't like to look back at my life in regret, thinking "Oh, if things had only been different...." I have no way of knowing how things would have turned out, or why the universe guided me to take the path I chose.
Perhaps if I had gone to that Catholic school, I would have stayed focused on my studies, become very well educated and gone directly on to an excellent university, but perhaps I would have also developed a distaste for all things spiritual, a hatred of the sacred.
Perhaps if we had moved to the Cayman Islands as my mom proposed, I would have met many young people from many diverse backgrounds, and thereby developed early on a more comprehensive knowledge of the world. But I have always loved to swim and never had a fear of the water: perhaps I would have drowned in the surf before reaching adulthood.
And that meeting in Mexico that brought an abrupt end to my foray into what can only be described as "some other realm" beyond time and space, beyond the reality of this world. Well, if I hadn't been drawn back when I was, I might have fallen off the edge of the world, either metaphorically, or in actuality. I might have lost touch completely with what we term as everyday "reality," and thereafter been unable to return. Otherwise, I might have been in a bus accident - common, particularly in the parts of Mexico where I was wandering about - gone off the edge, and met my end at the bottom of a cliff.
So, you see, I don't like to look back in regret, because what looks like a pitfall, a mistake or a turn for the worst, from here where I stand now, might actually have been a blessing in disguise. I am, at this moment in my life, precisely where I am supposed to be. (I have to believe this, because I can only act in the present, and only upon the situation as it stands. Only in the reality of the here and now do I maintain my freedom of will.) If I could go back and change one single thing, I wouldn't be where I am now - where I am supposed to be. I would be somewhere else, and then I would be trapped someplace where I am not supposed to be, in circumstances which I would have no freedom to change.
It is so important - crucial - to stay rooted in the here and now. Never to regret.
But I have so enjoyed this post. Thank you, Paulo.
Savita
I almost forgot the time when I fell down from a tree on a rock below.
The fall was approximate 2 meters and I saw myself from above lying on the ground ... in the next moment I was back into my body but I don´t remember much was happened next because I had a severe brain concussion and was lying in a hospital for a while.
But that changed my perpective on life and death and I know for myself there is a life after death.
But we have to live "this" life to the fullest.
Even though we have to fight real hard sometimes.
We need faith and to hang in there and support each other true the dark times.
Shared burden half burden. Shared luck double luck !!!
Love
Jessica
Now I understand that there is no religion better than other, in fact, even though I used to feel that the Orthdox religion in which I was born was the best. Now I am convinced that the only true religion is LOVE, God's infinite, unconditional love.
Now after about three years I feel as being born again and I mean it, life seems so different now. I've always been optimistic but now I feel having a direct connection to Universal Energy, I found God inside my heart and mind and in others too, feeling like being at last at home.
Everyday I discover something new, a tiny detail which proves that God is not confined in a certain place but everywhere.
I really don't identify with the person I was before and looking back I feel like smiling...
I know that evolution is a process and it takes lots of patience, perseverance and hope to go on but it is worth every single effort.
The more we change ourselves for the better, the more the world becomes a better place because we are parts of the world and then, the whole body of the world will be changed for the better.
Lots of love and appreciation,
Carmen Larisa
For better: when i decided not to follow people because of our friendship, but, just when i felt touched to do it.
:D
Allow me to simply say what I've realised: "In every moment I define who I am..."
Thank you for being
Yajna
There are many turning points in a life, each one a nodal point of balance between that which was before and that which is to come.
Yet in the eternal now they are ever resident and poignant, here in the now they act as influence, a river flowing in and advising.
The beginning of my journey back and towards that which I am and may yet become was many years ago now.
I sat on a beach in Negril in Jamaica telling a drug dealer that all life could be explained by rational science and the second law of thermodynamics. He looked at me, through me and said that I did not believe what I was saying. I argued. But I knew; and so did he.
Right there and right then, something changed. It is resident now, a part of the eternal now that is in me as I journey onwards.
A few days later, I climbed the Blue Mountain and saw the wonder of a dawn that demonstrated all the glory of manifestation and in stark contrast to the very hollowness of my own words.
Boy how I resisted after that. Yet sooner or later we all have to listen to the emanations of our heart and not our mind.
I wish for everyone a wonder-full journey and pray that no one else is QUITE as stubborn as me.
Here in the middle earth, and in the bucolic shire, it is cold and windy. In our fireplace downstairs there is a fire burning to take away the chill of the night. And we, we Hobbits must stand firm in the darkness for it is only through us that the will of Mordor can be over come.
So this night and in the time where Christmas approaches, I reach deep into my heart and find there a candle. With this candle I give out to you all my love and all my warmth which is the expression of my inner most predilection and my compassion and love for us all, mankind.
You and I are one. Let’s play pass the parcel.
With all my love and all my warmth and all my hope for a better way of being,
Alan
significa que mi vida tiene sentido. A parte de eso hoy aún sigo creyendo en mis posibilidades. Creo que puedo aportar muchas cosas buenas al mundo y que el mundo puede aportarme tantas o más como las que yo aporte. Sino creo esto estoy muerta.He leído tu biografía y he visto que has sido un hombre arriesgado, pero leal a tu corazón. Tus tentaciones son las tentaciones de todos los hombres, bravo por tí, otros se quedan debajo de la mesa sin vivir. Te admiro por ir más allá y te mando mis bendiciones. Hay cosas que no les gusta leer a la gente ni a mi, pero todos somos de carne y hueso y como tú muy bien dices, no hay nada escrito nuevo bajo el sol. ¿Mi punto de inflexión? No tengo uno, tengo muchos, pero sí puedo decirte que hoy estoy bien, mejor que hace unos años y que tengo un proyecto brillante y precioso en mi cabeza en el cual creo profundamente. Me faltará valor para seguir con él, pero sacaré el valor que me falte de debajo de las piedras. Respecto al resto, creo en el Amor pese a todos los palos que me he llevado. Quien no cree en el Amor está muerto. Yo no quiero morir.ç
Eres un ejemplo en mi Vida. Mi vida no está llena de ejemplos, pero tú formas parte de los pocos que lo forman.
Eres mi Guerrero de la Luz. Brillas mi firmamento.
Amor.
Y quiero sentirme bien conmigo misma.
Eres mi estrella que brilla en cielo. Y algún día seré como Tú.
Palabrita. O como tú dividido en dos. Menos no. Creo en el Amor, porque sino creo en el Amor estoy muerta.
TQ. Y te mando un abrazo azul. Con respeto, y mucha Admiración.
We always have the choice ... will we choose to see our difficult challenge as being for or against us? We get to decide whether to view life as victims, at the mercy of a painful event -or to see those same life events as messengers that have come to guide and shape us for the better. When we see the Universe as a helpful, friendly place we can believe that even "bad times" are designed to grow us.
A significant turning point came for me on Dec. 16, 2006 when I realized that liver disease was taking me down fast. That day I heard a distinct inner prompting urging me to apply the resources I'd gathered from years of study & travel towards my own healing. I started a daily practice that day that has rejuvenated and healed body and mind. I haven't looked back since.
Adversity is such a teacher for me. Every hardship I've faced has turned out to be tailor-made to fit ... designed to show me the obstacles in my thinking and actions that are blocking me -in that moment- from emotional & spiritual freedom.
Thanks for these thought invoking posts, Paulo.
Blessings, Lynne
Gracias de Corazón.
**
It seems to me that the turning points in my young life are always followed by tears. I've led a sheltered life and because of this, drastic changes are usually accepted with fear, resignation and readjustment.
1. 10 Years Ago / I was 18 and I just graduated from High School. To celebrate, my cousins and I vacationed at a friends' beach house. I was having a grand time and then, I got a phone call. My father called from the US to tell me that I am to live in the US in 2 weeks. I cried for days - I will be away from everything I know. Most of all, I was afraid to be away from my friends. It took me about 2 years to adjust, 6 years to form true friendship. In the end, I learned a lot about myseld and cannot imagine living in Manila again.
2. Last Year / I was 27 and very infatuated. I can say its as close to having my heart broken after sheltering it for so many years. The turning point was a lie I discovered by accident and the feeling of betrayal. I realized that I deserve so much more.
3. A month ago / I am 28 and laid-off. I came to work for the Mortgage Industry for the past 4 years by accident - I just took whatever job out of College. My turning point was the day my company announced that the company will be shut down come 2009. I'm given a chance to start over and find my Purpose. I must admit..I am scared. I need to let go of my fears and just focus on my goal.
Thank you Mr. Coelho for being an inspiration.
At the end of the day, it is all about you, you realize that you do not have to justify anything to anybody and boy! Do you feel good about that!
In my worse times, I kept reading one of your e-cards,Paulo,
"You either carry your mission forward or your defend yourself. You are aware, I know that. What you are doing is more important than how you are seen by other people. Do you agree?"
I made it personal and it worked.
Love and peace
xxxx
I always idolised my mother - she had a family, she worked full time, she ran the house and was always in charge of her life. There was nothing she couldn't do, no question she couldn't answer!
One day my sister and I were shopping with my mum and she seazed up, drink in hand and fell to the floor having a fit - i've never been so scared in my life, my perfect, reliable mother was not in control for the first time in my entire life.
It was at that point that I realised even the most concrete parts of your life may not be there forever and you need to take out insurance against it. So I've made sure that the pillars of my life are many and varied and that I am able to stand alone and take charge of my life should those pillars fail me.
Everyone has a duty to find their inner strength and stand up alone at some point - test their abilities to come up against tough situations and get through them.
i think this quote by anais nin sums up my experience nicely: "and the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
i fell in love with a guy who was much older than me. that being the main reason, among other things, my family did not agree with our relationship. after about six months of suffering for all of us, i decided to move away and live with him. it came to me suddenly...one night, after my dance practice, sitting in the car in front of the house, i decided to do it.
months of silence passed.
now, a little over a year ago, i am still with the love of my life. my family calmed down a bit, but there are still hard feelings. hopefully, they will get over it one day.
it was just easier to leave everything/everybody and start a new life.
i am a much stronger person for it.
'til next time
mirela :-)
I have been with someone for almost six years. We were both very young when we got together and so we sort of grew up together. At the beginning, we were used to being together almost everyday since we attended the same university and were attending the same classes. (That's how we met anyway) Then after a year or so, his parents sent him overseas to study. It was painful but I had a choice to make there and then. Either to end the relationship or to go through with it will all the high hopes of an 18 year old, I obviously went for the latter thinking he'll be back in 2 years time. He went home for holidays but that was it. The rest of the year we had to settle with phone calls, text messages, emails, chats...
Then one day, the 2nd year came but with some bad news (at least for me). His parents want him to continue his university studies there which would mean another 3 to 4 years. I was heartbroken. At that time I was reading 'By the River Piedra..' and I remember reading the following passages:
"If pain must come, may it come quickly. Because I have a life to live, and I need to live it in the best way possible. If he has to make a choice, may he make it now. Then I will either wait for him or forget him. Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing what to do is the worst kind of suffering."
I was exactly in that same situation. At that time, I did not know what to do. I've already been with him for four years and have already done so much and sacrificed so much but at the same time, I had everything going for in my life at that point as well. I just finished my degree with flying colors. I had wonderful offers, I felt like everything was just within my reach. But because I loved him, I decided to put my life on hold and to follow him overseas. I knew I had to make the sacrifice, I knew I couldn't ask him to make any sacrifice because I knew that it was a great opportunity for him. So I went but could only stay for 6 months. I did everything I could do extend my stay but there are rules to follow.
When I came back home, he told me that the plans have changed once more, and this time he's coming home too. And after one month, he was home. But that was when things started to get ugly. He seemed different until 8 months after, he broke up with me via phone call saying his parents want him to go back abroad and continue Uni.
My immediate reaction was to get mad, I wanted to blame someone. I couldn't understand the turn of events especially when I felt like I did everything I was supposed to do. I lost a lot of weight in just a week. I couldn't do anything, normal things were excruciating for my body. I never thought that someone could actually hurt that much, that way. I had no "plans", I didn't know what to do with my life. That relationship was all I knew.
2008 came and I was feeling better. I was feeling bright and excited. I was very hopeful. I felt like it was going to be my year. I went to work abroad, because I said I wanted to be independent. To prove that I can make it on my own but deep down I knew, I left because I couldn't stand being back home. I felt trapped in a familiar place where everything seems to remind of my 'old' life. I wanted a physical change and so off I went. Hopeful, positive, feeling over the cloud. But it didn't turn out the way I quite imagined it. I got depressed, I was extremely exhausted from my very demanding job, the culture there treated women very differently, and I was alone. I would secretly cry in my bed asking myself what have I done. I couldn't understand why "bad" things were happening to me, why do I feel like I'm exhausting myself doing and sacrificing for what was starting to feel like a mistake? I realized that I had no idea what I'm doing with my life. I couldn't tell anyone, especially people back home because I felt ashamed. After all, it was me who wanted this in the first place.I was the one who wanted to prove something.
I wanted to quit and just come home but I couldn't because I felt I'm being immature. My heart is telling me that I've done enough but my mind is telling me to be practical. Until one night, I got my answer. I may not know what tomorrow has in store for me and I may not know exactly what to do at this point but I do know that I want transformation. I want to transcend my 'old' self who is still bitter and demanding rainbows, balloons, and a parade just because she got hurt.
To do this, I realized I had to 'detox' my life, to eliminate all the things in my life that have no meaning to me and that included working and living abroad. I realized that I was still carrying with me old pains, other people's expectations, demands of my own, and I knew I had to let go of these things so I can have a decent shot at beginning the rest of my life.
I am home now. I'm happy to be back with my family and friends. I'm not exactly sure what will happen but I have faith. I know everything happens for a reason. Right now, I'm taking a much needed rest for awhile then resume for "battle". Looking back, I do not regret the decisions I have made and though I have yet to see how the story will end, I am hopeful. I felt like I've been given a second chance. I want to give myself the opportunity to try to live my life the best way I can.
I worked for a music group for 5 1/2 years, I was not paid nearly what I was worth, did more than was asked of me, put myself in situations that were against my constitution. The week before I was to under go another life altering situation, I was fired, told I was not wanted. I was rejected by the people who I held the closets. I was left out to dry. I made my "Ocha" with out fowl. I got off the "throne" and decided that I could not look back.
Being left out there made me understand I am here to do something so powerful it is scary to think about.
I was left penniless, and with out a home as a result. some many months later I am a full time student pursuing a graduate degree (Ph.D) in Religious Anthropology focusing on African Religions.
I have never been so happy as I am right now, I believe had that not happen I would have fallen.....deeper into a state that was not my path. Now I feel like I am walking and doing so well in this path.
I believe that my higher power has given me a second chance. I know longer have thoughts of suicide, or of rejection. I am in a place of completion, and willing to do the work needed to complete what I start.
I had my turning points many times in the last 10 years, and I remember before I turned...I knew that turned was taking me to the better or to the worst. One thing that made me turn each time even when I know it was not a good turn , is the fact that I wanted to experience the bad and good thing. I lived each moment…I blame my self for bad turns not the moment, but without regards. The bad moments were the best LESSONS. The good moments it was what I learned from my bad moment’s lessons. Yet, I still have not learned enough., I wonder if I AM STILL BREVE to prepare for next bad moment???? So I can learn something new again.
Thank you Paulo.
En cuanto a su pregunta si estoy agusto o confortable con los cambios actuales ??? Con algunos si. hay otros tan preocupantes e irremediables.
Cambios que me preocupan por mi futuro, por las nuevas generaciones. Como el calentamiento global, la deforestacion de las Selvas,La extinsión de especies, la desaparición del habitat de las especies por nosotros los hombres, la mega explosión demográfica.
One Saturday night, many months ago, in a Sydney pub. I was having a very deep discussion with my best friend. I had recently broken up with my love of 2.5 years. I was explaining how the last few years of my life all seem like a blur to me. I do not remember achieving anything, or doing anything major that will help me remember those years. I was just living day by day and had no goals, no plans.. basically just gave in to my boring life.
My friend, Nat, was telling me that I should look deeper and try to see what at least one positive was that I took out of my relationship with my ex.
Out of nowhere, this drunken old man taps me on my shoulder. His question was 'What do you think of work-place relationships?'. I started chatting with the man, and telling him that was how I met my ex and it was a fabulous feeling and if he is going for it, he shouldn't hold back just because he works with the person he fancies.
The night ended, we all went to our homes.
Sunday night, around midnight, I get a text message from my friend Nat. She says: Laudy, do you not think it was odd that out of everyone in the pub, this man came and spoke to you? Your face lit up when you were explaining to him and reminiscing on how your relationship begun. Do not let this moment be lost. He was put in your life to remind you that eventhough you think nothing came out of your relationship with your ex, there were many happy times. Do not focus on the negative.
At this point, I replied to her: Nat, thank you for being my eyes when I was blind. I was blinded by negativity, and this man was sent into my life to remind me that life is more than about what we see... it is also about what we don't see.
I am truly blessed to have people in my life, like Nat, that will be my eyes when I am blinding myself with negativity.
That moment in time, in a Sydney pub, opened my eyes. I now try to see everything for what it is, and have taken my blindfold off!
Love Laudy
there is a moment in life where the ground beneath you shifts due to realignment and balance, usually in two scenarios: when everything couldnt be more perfect and/or when you think it cant get any worse!
for me, it couldnt be anymore perfect than that moment i was on top of the world: lover,career,money,traveling the world/lots of friends and loads of good times,not a care in the world...i was perfect!
i was a professional dancer touring the world with my lover on a great contract that was offered to me with the dream cast/dream destination/dream job...imagine! sounds wonderful,no? well four months into my contract i was out in coppenhagen, shopping, lunch with my love, and a bit of sightseeing. after i returned to my room and took a nap so i could rest before my show that night.....and sooo i did! NOW PAY ATTETION: ...BLINK....my eyes opened ........and i awoke to the last day of my life!
from the moment i opened my eyes, i was no longer myself,but in a strange and fast road to hell! i couldnt breath,my heart was racing and pounding, the room was closing in,and felt very faint ...like i could just lie still and die. fear starts filling up my sockets with tears of total chaos, and a moment of total insanity entered my head, and flooded my thoughts.
THIS IS EVEN VERY HARD TO WRITE ABOUT AS I AM EXPOSING MYSELF TO YOU NOW, BUT IT MUST BE KNOWN.
i had suffered my very first of many to come ....panic attack. at the time, i thought i was crazy and never had one. i literally had an attack for 24 hr. a day/7 days a week for about two weeks long after!!!!! and so my ignorant doctor i had gave up on me and put me on a plane back to the united states,sedated and afraid! i didnt even recognize myself in the mirror and didnt know who i was and i was afraid of who i was becoming. when i arrived to the states my own mother didnt recognize me for i had transformed to a withered,souless,sedated,pale,and frail faceless girl. from that moment on it was doctor after doctor,medication after medication,fear after fear,life had ceased to exist and i had climbed into a black hole for comfort. a few weeks later i get rushed to a hospital (SURPRISE), they had found a flesh eating bacteria in my right breast that ate through my body and was rushed to get a mini masectomy and had lost most of it due to sugery. my lover heard news for he was still in europe finishing his contact and dropped his whole universe ,bought a ticket to the states just to be at my side in hospital. doctor after doctor,more medication after medication,more fear and after fear and at complete loss of words let alone my life as i knew it! two years after had past still without a breast...i was considered disabled ugly,and useless in my old world of physical beauty and entertainment! so what do i do now?????? who am i??? what is to become??? well i will tell you...lots of therapy...hahaha.
and meds and more doctors......
but i will tell you something..........i had nothing but i learned i had everything i needed to survive...which is love,health,and family. did u notice i never mentioned it at the beginning of my story? when i so-called mentioned i was perfect and had everything???? well, apparently i was missing the most important things in life that through a life altering shift i would soon come to realize in my self discovery! I WAS HOME! i grew to know how to rebuild,and replan,and regain...family,health,and most of all love! when you lose ....you win....when you win....you lose! in the beginning my story seems horrifying...but ...right now ,know i have everything and what i dont have i will regain again! if it wasnt for my battle to shake things up, i know now i would have continued on my merry little way ...in ignorance without any value. i now have my breast after 3 yrs of battles and i am still with my lover who became a husband, i have a new career and still plan to grace the stage again as well with dance on the side, i love and i am soooo close to my family,its unimaginable! i am stronger,wiser,and ready at all times! so, in the end, what did change for better or for worse? its called EVOLUTION OF THE SELF ,BOTH BETTER AND WORSE CREATE A CHAPTER! i do apologize for it being such a long story, but this is the short version, haha....i hope i didnt bore you paulo!!!!!!!
When I was six, I found my mom crying in the bathroom, and I never saw her crying before, it was horrible because her pain was so clear you could almost smell it; she started talking to me thanking me for being there, becuase if that was not the case she would kill herself; she asked me for forgiveness and told me that she had had an abortion, an unsuccessful one becuase she found out she was still pregnant with me 4 monhts later... she kept on crying and I didn't mouth a word, I just sat there thinking, of course I was sad but mostly because she was crying, in another way I felt a sort of peace, there's always been a voice in the back of my head telling me that I wasn't wanted and it somehow made sense; from then on I was well aware of death, not in the scary sense, I was just aware of it all around me, and somehow I always escape it, since then I've had my own conversations with God, it's like a pact I have with him, like he wants me to be here, it's what keeps me going when I feel there is nowhere to go.
Thanks for this issue. I want to say that in my life there is mainly moments marked by persons that I tied to them and I couldn't imagine my life without their presence. Perhaps they are still in my deep heart that I still feel their presence around me. But there is someone that I want to forgot him because every thing let me remember him. He changed my life and don't no for the better or for the worst. But I know that the moment I met him will mark all my life and remain only memory.
Love
Mariem
I feel, in two weeks before and some days in close future, something has to change in my life - I dont feel comfortable in my body and soul, I feel like I am going through some "rite of passage" and now I am somewhere "in between". I am not who I was, and I am not the new one. Funny, caouse I think, I am just a black hole, through which runs time and view... can black hole change? Yes, she has to, like everything.
But I feel, that I dont know, how to change, so the best that I can do now - in this time of "being in between" - is to wait and live from one day to another, try to survive until I will be able to see clearly...hope I am patient enough
A few years ago I lost my father who had cancer. When he died I felt like being in a cocoon of pain, frustration, sorrow and denial.
I experienced to have no control over my tears and dark thoughts, and it felt like I had no strength in any muscles in my body.
At the same time I knew I had to start to do things that could give me glimps of happiness and joy.
I decided to read - and read a lot of books that I felt could give me power and strenght.
It was at this point in my life I started to read Paulo Coelho`s books.
Reading books gave me power, will and courage.
Through this time I "re-puzzled" myself: the puzzle that used to be me, I felt collapsed, and I had to put it together again - only now in a new way.
I came in contact with my inner self and spirit, and started to see what`s important for ME in this life.
I now find happiness and joy in little things in everyday life. Things I took for granted before are now more apreciated. I have found peace with myself, and can see what I need to give preference to.
I have accepted that we live and we die, and what matters is what we do in between.
This experience has made me a wholer person, and for that outcome I`m grateful.
That gives time to think.
My mother had been to a laughing-class, a way to handle depressions and sad thoughts buy laughing. The idea was that the smile and laugh released those happy-substances that trigged the brain to be happy.
I walked along the harbour and smiled to test the theory.
I felt warmth spread in my mind and my body. I felt happy and content. I felt enlighted.
I had found to "back door" to happiness.
Soul and brain are not the same thing to me. They live in symbiosis.
Now, I have not walked in a cloud of happiness since then, but when I feel sad I try to remember the walk that day and force a smile on my face. At least it doesn't make me feel worse.
KISS! ;-)
Stand my ground - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sCkAvh50Vs
I have courage when everything comes around, I did react.
That makes me feel proud of myself :-)
Jessica
It is the moment of leaving home and memories behind and moving to a new life that I always was afraid of doing this step :)
Here is my nostagic thoughts about it:
http://cocktail4.blogspot.com/2008/11/nostalgia...
:) Smile :)
I am still waiting for this moment. I believe it does exist. And I also believe I should live in every moment as if it is that moment. Unfortunately I am not an evolved being yet and need to be jolted out of the rut of life. I do experience moments of pure peace and great joy, and I can see in those moments that a life filled with this great peace is possible. But then life happens again, and I also realise we are in a physical existence and I chose to be here. So there is the conundrum right there. I live, I trust and continue to ask the question and look for the jolt.
I am free and I am loved.
My interior sight is better in this year of wait from the first operation after an incident while I shot a movie in a school.
Many things are happened in this time, my almost labrador Brazil is present only in spirit now and I have found my interior sight thanks to you Paulo, too!! This is my moment. Marco and Brazil in my heart
She was guididng me. I was One with Her. I was strong thanks to the Presence, the Goddess.
Was that a dream? I wonder ...
Beacause it was so wonderful. The shining Light, the Golden Sand under my feet,
and everywhere, around me.
Was the Light.
Will She come back, to Guide me?
I don´t know, but at least I have Her remembrance (though sometimes I doubt: Was She real?)
Real or not, I have known Her, and that is with me.
***
The other turning point was when She dissapeared and I was left here alone.
I guess each day is the same as the other ,,,,..... or is it that i fail to recongnise the miracle of each day that the new sun rises ...... i don't know really .....
But the thought really fasinates me when A MOMENT in someone's life can change the whole LIFE ..... How wonderful the feeling would be if the change is a positive one ...... :)
I have a very ordinary kind of life .... A loving family... Freinds .... I don't earn much but .. That's the only interesting part of my life :) .. To buy new and good clothes, bags, shose, jewelry ...... I love to travel ... To collect money and some day go to the Northern areas of Pakistan with friends or family (or with a life partner ;) hheehee LoL... That wud be the Great) :) .... (I live in Pakistan, and it's a beautiful Country) That's It ... That's the aim, That's my Life ....
Every single day is full of turning points, both large and small, when you are awake enough to be aware of them. Some lead to great things, some to small ones, but we are surrounded by them.<<
I agree Viv. But sometimes, it takes ONE Moment to unlock your soul and make it possible to see all the other moments. Some people though are lucky and can see those right from the start.
A second turning point in my life came when I was 17 at boarding school in Iceland. Isolated, tense, afraid, lonely and unhappy, I was reading incomprehensible chemistry for a test. I looked out the window towards a conical mountain high above the dormitory. Suddenly the mountain spoke to me, calling my name. I felt completely connected to nature, and I felt rather than thought: This mountain and I are the same. We are one.
The third turning point in my life came when I was 21 and had recently given birth to my son. I was living alone, afraid, apprehensive of the future, lost as to what my life was for. I was sitting at a large window high up looking out onto a big Icelandic sky with the pale moon floating in the still bright sky.
Suddenly, my perspective shifted with a lurch. I gasped. I felt the Earth dancing in the Universe with the Moon hurtling 'round it. I felt the tug of the two spheres on each other. I was one with the dance of the spheres. A sense of awe and wonder, and a sense of total belonging came over me.
I vowed then to devote my life to understanding the secrets of the interconnectedness of all in the Universe.
Then, with a tug at my solar plexus, the alternate perspective was gone. I was alone with a new born in the next room.
My fourth turning point came after a few months' journey in the abyss after a divorce. I was consumed with hatred, rage, disappointment and fear of loneliness. I had started to implement exercises I devised to bring me out one step at a time, trying to find a guiding light in the total darkness of the soul. When I reached a point of complete despair and disorientation, a honeyed drop of light lit itself in the depths of my soul and started to warm me from the inside out. I started to practice Gratitude all day long. The light spread little by little, day by day until I recognised the presence of the Christ within, the gift given to us all at the turning point of time. Since then, I have never been alone.
I think the real turning point in my life was the moment I decided that I was better than the circumstances I had put myself in, I was better than the people I let put me down think I am, and finally, that I am a better person than I think I am.
I decided to strive for the best in every moment, the best in myself, and the beauty in everyday, whether it be at work or play. There should never be a day that goes by in which anyone goes to bed thinking, "wow, that was such a horrible, depressing, useless day." And so, the moment I decided that I would live each day as if I meant every moment, every word and every smile - that was the moment I left my abusive relationship, reconnected with my friends, enjoyed work, grad school, and started loving myself again.
At a budhist mediatation retreat 8 years ago. I was mediatating on cherishing love and something happened something clicked inside me and all that i held onto all the negative things from childhood all the things i thought i was, just evaparated away and a light started shinning through me i knew everything at that moment it was bliss. My 7 year old daughter asked me if i was her real mum at the same time( she was going through the "am i adopted stage") I said i was and she was very pleased she seemed relieved i had found myself.
I think it must of been the connection with the divine that i read about in many books.
From that day on i knew i could be whoever i choose to be..........not the kid my parents made me believe i was!
I now have faith in "me" the divine, the one and the same. I feel very blessed to of had this experience.
My life is not perfect on obsevation but internally i am strong and peaceful.
I feel i am being set up for another moment and when it arrives i will know everything i ever suffered will of been worth every tear.
Thanks Paulo & everyone for your very moving and inspirational stories x
Kirstie x
Life in college changed me. I became a person stronger than the days before. But if I have to think about a moment, it'd be the time I ran out of class. In high school, I long to be accepted. Being rather plump and with a low self-esteem, I find myself being the last one selected for group work, the one who asked around can i go for break with you and at times the butt of jokes. I was always on my guard, insecure.
During a competition, I was the only girl selected. I heard the guys talking about me. I felt like they were trying to put me down and I jsut ran out of class. The tcr who was having the class talked to me after class. She's been a friend since. No doubt, the guys ridiculed me over the event. But it reflected how much I could tolerate.
Today, I laugh over it. Amused at my lack of self-control. But it developed me. It made me stronger. I was embarrassed to come back to class. But I had no options. I'm glad for having done so. Thankfully, I've changed. Even when intimidated, I give strong front and belive, I can be strong enough and I'm better of living my life than worry over other people's judgement. That was my moment. Heraclitus said change is the only thing that is constant. More moments will come. & for everyone that happen, I'm thankful.
Thank you Paulo. (:
http://www.arvinddevalia.com/blog/2007/01/12/un...
I had just given some ladoos (indian sweets) to these six orphan children. The catholic sister who looked after them explained how two of the kids were brother and sister, and how they had been found abandoned outside the hospital main entrance a couple of years before.
Instinctively, I picked up the little girl and placed her on a chair and began to try and make some small talk with her. She gurgled and her mischievous eyes seemed to twinkle with delight.
At that moment, time seemed to come to a standstill. Nothing else mattered except this little girl and I was lost in her presence.
After what seemed like an eternity but was probably only a few seconds, I instinctively looked up. And there, right in front of me was the catholic sister, looking back at me with sheer joy and love on her face. Our eyes locked and melted together into an ocean of compassion.
The look in the sister’s all knowing eyes reassured me that it was okay to feel what I was feeling, and also that it was safe and perfectly okay to be openly loving and kind.
In those few moments, I learnt what it meant to be human. I learnt what it felt like to show compassion and love and kindness.
That was probably my first ever experience of unconditional love towards a total stranger. That little, innocent, helpless, orphan girl had captured my heart just like that. As tears streamed from my eyes, I knew then that I had found my calling and my path. My journey of contribution and service began in those few amazing moments of bliss, love and joy.
Life was never the same for me again after that. Looking back to that magical day in April 2000, everything else pales into insignificance as I returned back to London and underwent major life changes all within a very short time.
Ever since I have been waiting to experience that depth of feeling ever since and I know it is there within me.
After a few minutes I´v lost my consciounes and in the small time that past I`ve saw all my life like people befor they die!It was so interesting for me that I do not come back anymore till I`v not recorded everything;after a time my boyfriend ,is took me back from there,trough screening and lapsing me.A ambulance braught me to hospital and after I`ve signed that I take the responsability to go home,I`ve drive to Vienna wich was 50 km from my home,to do my worck.I had an apointment with a client that I thought I should not lose it!
The point was, that this client braught me a telephone number,from a brasilian shaman woman,where after few days I took a healing saesion,wich changed all my life.
She was a very good witch!
She opend something in me that helped to use more sensitivity for me and my worck.
To read The Alchimist was the same, with only positive efects,and to meet you Paulo ,In such a timing in 2000 in Vienna,with the help This Ascensor(Lift),and although with `someone else`Help,was the same special Moment!
Thank you, for that you turned back to the right Moment!
Love
Mirela(the woman in lift)
Bravo!!!
Not boring at all, a very deeply personal expression of the human will to survive and against all odds.
I am humbled and enriched by your expression.
I have an inkling of the courage needed to do that and it makes me feel so very sure that the spirit is alive and in you.
Uplifted and by you.
With all my very best wishes for each new chapter in your new book of life,
Alan
When my mom found out that she was pregnant in her late 30s, she was thinking of having an abortion, but a nurse (who could not have children of her own) told my mom that she is fortune enough to give life and that she should not gamble away this great opportunity. Thanks to that nurse, I am alive today. Even though my start in life had been risky - my mom and I almost died because I got stugged in the birth canal.
It seems my life had been laid out from the start...I have to fight my way through it...that's what it said to me and that is what I believe in, if I believe in anything.
When I was one year old my right ear drum burst, something that one could not correct with medical surgery like one can do nowadays, so I grew up half deaf.
Another challenge I had to face with five years. I found my mom's life partner who was like a dad to me (since my biological father is an alcoholic and my mom seperated from him before I got born)dying on our living room floor. I was kneeling right beside him screaming at him, shaking him, the only answer that came back was a gasp for air that he could not get into his lungs. He died of a heart attack.
After his death the relationship with my mom went down hill, she got abusive towards me.
I recall the nights and hours that I wept myslef to sleep wishing for a better life; finding shelter at my grandma's place until she passed away around Christmas.
WHat I know is that I never gave up. How often did I thought of running away, even committing suicide, but I told myself that this cannot be IT. I waited till I graduated from high school and then I took off. I spend a year in the United States, came back to Germany, started University, received my Bachelor's Degree, adn now I am back in teh USA to finish up my MAster program.
I never gave up hope for the better challenges in life.
Sometimes it is worth waiting and struggling through the hard times.
There were many moments that conspired together to change my life -- which I think of every day as a miracle. But the one that was a clear turning point was when I decided to leave my first marriage in May 1997.
My almost 10-year marriage seemed perfect and it gave me a great deal of security. My former husband is a good man, intelligent, hard-working, loyal, committed and loving not to mention handsome. But for a number of years I felt like something in me was somehow dying in the marriage. Something was wrong but I couldn't say what it was. Because I suffered from childhood trauma and was quite a troubled person at the time, it was hard for me to trust anything I felt. Whenever my feelings of unhappiness came up I would push them away and tell myself I was stupid for feeling them. I had everything I wanted and had no reason to be unhappy...! I now know that pushing our feelings away is the main cause for anxiety and back then I suffered from crippling chronic anxiety with repeated panic attacks. So life was 'perfect' but not really...
I met Ian at our workplace choir, and we started to talk occasionally. We didn't have an affair - neither physical nor emotional! I have a big problem with extra-marital affairs. To my dismay, over time I started to have feelings for Ian that were very strong and quite different from anything I had ever experienced. It was very disturbing because I was a faithful and loyal wife. I wasn't supposed to feel anything like that towards anyone other than my husband... There was no talk about getting together or leaving marriages. Ian just started to see someone himself and was very excited about it.
Gradually I began to realise that what was happening had to do with me and my life's journey. Life was knocking on my door and was trying to tell me something. I was in denial about my unhappiness with my marriage. 12 months prior to leaving (long before I met Ian) I wrote in my journal that I didn't see my future with my ex, but I completely forgot about it. I only discovered this entry after I left.
Two months into my psychotherapy degree, in early 1997 (I was 32), I had to admit to myself that it was time to make a serious choice. I couldn't lie to myself any longer. It was not based on whether or not Ian and I were going to get together, but it had everything to do with my own destiny. I don't think I have ever felt that scared in my life. I was about to hurt a good man who was a big part of my life and who has done nothing wrong, turn my entire life upside down, and embark on...what?? I didn't really know. I was going completely into the unknown. But I did it. It was horrible. My ex was so hurt. He told me he was still in love with me and asked me why. I couldn't tell him, because I didn't really know. I wanted to give him an explanation to help him feel better. I never wanted to hurt him. I had no bad feelings about him. It was more a question of following my path and I knew deep down what I was so afraid to admit to myself for so long, that my path was not with him. But to even think of life as a path, to think of destiny or purpose was a new thing for me... I was a nobody and nobodies don't have paths or destinies...It's not how I was brought up.
Ian and I did get together in the end (we've been married since 1999). What I felt when I left my marriage and then got together with Ian was as if I moved sideways. It was as if before I was walking along on a familiar and safe path, but my real life was walking parallel to me. Occasionally I would take a glance sideways, see something there, feel some kind of loss, and then dismiss it as my stupid imagination... When I took that huge, frightening step of leaving my marriage, what I did was move sideways to join that parallel path and all of a sudden my life made sense. I couldn't explain it any other way and at the time I had trouble making sense of it all. I just knew deep down that it was right. For the first time in my life I had to trust my gut feeling and not my logic.
I am an experienced psychotherapist/counsellor now and I work also with couples. With all my years of work and study I have not been able to find one theory that explained what had happened with my first marriage. I have to admit to myself that it really does have to do with my life's purpose and the reason I was put on this earth.
Ian and I had many difficult times over the years. We suffered a lot and I thought of leaving a few times. But even through the hardest times, it always felt somehow right, underneath all the day-to-day difficulty. While even during the best times with my ex-husband, and there were many, it just never felt right. This feeling of rightness gave Ian and I the strength to grow, and we both hardly recognise ourselves. We are so different from how we were only a few years ago. Now Ian and I are living and breathing another one of these life changing moments but you can read about this on our website. If you like.
Thank you for this opportunity to tell my story and blessings to everyone.
Avigail
Of beside me I knew some things in life, in my childhood I was like a suitcase from country to country, because my mother did not know where she wanted to live, that made me know differents places and cultures, and i was forced, but i could found possitives things in the way.
I've seen a little bit of everything, one day after waiting for my group of scouts i meet a guy who perceived me to sign from a public toilet, to my surprise the man was stripping, i was alone and he scare me, I went home and chased him with a camera, then went to the police and locked it.
I have known the pain of steel in my hands, defending my girlfriend about aggressors, those cut off the hand and me in the middle of a railway station in Switzerland, no one did anything.
I have faced depression and suicide among friends, faced drugs, and the loss of parents.
I know in part, poverty and wealth, and that people are good and bad, but that is part of life, that everything is perfect and all things are just for experience.
Even knowing love, and all the gifts that our land gives us home, one brings me headaches, because it is not something which can draw lessons.
What I still know that Mark is all we will die one day, and that has no solution, within 100 or 1000 years will not be able to enjoy new horizons, nor the warmth of new places, or who will be our evolution.
When I think of the death sentence comes the words from Chaplin "Life is a joke."
Srry about my english
I think life changing moments happen almost as some sort of divine intervention. These moments give us a choice to work with those moments in a positive or negative way.
Becoming a parent was one of the most signicant moments in my life. Nothing has ever been the same. Becoming a parent also gave me the strength to do things I had wanted to do years ago, and was to scared to. One of those things was to move from the city to the county. Besides being something I longed to do, it was a way to give my child freedom, and to be financially able to give her the best I could. The country and my child, let me find the other half of myself that had been suppressed, gnawing at me for recognition for all the years I had lived in the city.
The parenting journey for me was not an easy one. I raised my child on my own. However it has been an extremely rewarding one, full of love and purpose.
My most recent moment has been this year, and even now at times I still feel as though I'm caught in a spider's web, struggling to get out. This moment has propelled me on a journey, that at times I don't feel ready to take, yet know I have to - there's that spider web again. This year my partner of 5 years died, and shortly after my daughter left home. Is this moment a better or worse moment? It is a rebirthing time. No birthing is easy, but I can sense, and at times experience life, as I've not done before. I'm making this moment a moment that is changing my life for the better.
Es muy curioso que presisamente añoche estaba conversando con mi hermano menor sobre el asunto, el me decía que para el son muy importantes los momentos difíciles porque lo dejan profundamente marcado en su alma, pero desde mi punto de vista, trataba de explicarle que los momentos que realmente valen la pena atesorar son los momentos de felicidad, creo que nos hemos mal acostumbredo estar haciendonos daño todo el tiempo con esos recuerdos que peturban nuestro espiritu, ellos de por sí quedarán grabados en nuestra mente, aunque tratemos de evitarlo, ellos estarán allí todo el tiempo para hacernos recordar algo importante que ya ocurrio y que de nosotros depende que no vuelva a ocurrir...
De un tiempo para acá, he tratado de no dedicar mas de la atención que merecen esos malos momentos, he procurado prestar mucha mas atención a los momentos que me llenan de felicidad, y al tenerlos presentes todo el tiempo he notado que las cosas fluyen de una mejor forma, es como si todo se manifestara a traves de ese sentimiento de enorme paz, para mi , ha sido de gran ayuda haberme abierto a la magia del amor, comocí a un chico con el que tengo un año saliendo pero con él he experimentado cosas que jamás pense que podria vivir, podria decirles que he experimentado el verdadero amor, el amor puro, el amor que todo lo hace posible, y desde que me siento completamente dispuesta a recibir todas las cosas buenas que la vida tiene para mi, esta energía tan poderosa la he logrado compartir ymultiplicar con las personas que están a mi alrrededor, es algo totalmente mágico...
Descubri que mi felicidad no depende de absolutamente nadie mas que de mi, y cuando realmente quieres ser feliz, todo sale como lo deseas.
si tuviese que simplificar mi vida en un solo momento de los muchos en los que ma he sentido plenamente feliz, diria que ese momento llegó justamente cuando descubri el enorme potecial que hay dentro de mi para cambiar mi historia: de una historia como cualquier otra a la historia que yo misma decido crear cada dia cuando el sol sale, una historia que es la mejor de todos y que todos podemos vivir y escribir cuando queramos, solo hace falta abrir un poquito mas los ojos y ver todas las bendiciones que se nos han otorgado...
MIL BESOS A TODOS.
May we never underestimate the importance of our family.
Love and cherish every moment.
BTW Savita, belated Happy Birthday. I turn 42 today.
Love and hope to all,
Nelson
I am not particularly religious, I was raised under the influence of the catholic faith but my family was not particularly religious. I cannot recall the very first time this spiritual protector manifested his presence, but I remember some problems in school when I was eleven years old. I arrived at school one day and my teacher asked the class to write about a social problem like violence or poverty. We had one hour or so to write about it and we had to hand in the essay before lunch.
I wrote my essay, I handed in and I went out for lunch.
The next day I was called to meet the school director. My teacher was there as well and I spent a good hour trying to explain to them that nobody had helped with the essay, that I had not copied the text. They were both convinced I had copied the test from a newspaper or a political magazine but they could not figure out how I had done it. They said it was impossible; the text was too advanced for my age.
Years later I asked my spiritual protector about this event and he told me it was him, the topic was too important and he decided to give me a quick lecture on the subject.
Another time, during a history class, the teacher would tell us about historic events and I would correct him with details only familiar to archaeologists.
Things like that have happened so many times in my life but I have always tried to think of them as coincidences, fatigue or simply my imagination.
Last year however, I was faced with a very complex family situation. I accepted to help someone by doing something that I would never normally do. But in the process, I spent many weeks unable to sleep, stressed and nervous about it.
Then one day, my protector with his very soft and gentle voice, a grandfather’s voice, told me:
“I do not see any danger, I know you would never let yourself into something like this but be part of it this time, I will do everything I can to protect you and your family during the up coming events”.
After “hearing” his voice I felt a deep sensation of peace and communion, regardless of all the risks I stopped to be anxious about everything. My peace of mind returned and everything went well.
This event deeply affected me because I felt his presence the whole time, more than ever before. I started to realize that he is helping me fight some of my deepest fears and concerns.
call it intuition i donno i never had the interest nor the desire to investigate the issue further than what i was experiencing at night .
i am a catholic christian and i believe in god ! what i see at night i couldnt explain it wasnt only events that occur later on it was much more than this .
i used to see people , faces , people that were about to pass away or are already dead ! all i remember was waking up the next morning very tired as if i was running all night but i knew deep down that what i was experiencing wasnt normal my friends at school were not the same ! all this affected me a lot especially at a young age when i used to ask my mom about it and the only answer i would get is ignore it dont think about it ! dont tell anyone this they will think u r mad !
whenever i dream i wake up very tired and the dreams got stronger as i grew older and i kept them a secret from everyone i still do !
until one day i met a priest that i decided to confide in . it wasnt easy at first but something about him made me feel secure may be i was tired of carrying the burden of secrecy i donno but i told him everything for the first time in my life i openned my heart to a complete stranger !
that is the moment that changed my life
he didnt believe me at first but one day i had a dream, a man came to me in my dream he spoke with me and i felt that he was a close friend of the priest i was confiding in ! i told the priest the next morning and i told him the name of the man that i saw the night before he still didnt believe me so i asked him to get me lots of pictures of him and his friends and i would point out to him the man that i saw and i did ! that is when he knew i was for real .
he then explained to me the reason behind my dreams he taught me how to pray all over again because the intensity of my dreams affected my belief in god ! they made me drift away from christ and i stopped praying and going to church because in a way i blamed god for my torments
the priest helped me understand what i was going through he taught me that christ is the only way for my salvation with his help i can overcome anything !
i am now newly married , i still dream but very less frequently than before . my husband is very supportive and caring before we got married i told him about my dreams i remember i was so worried he might decide to leave me but i knew i had to tell him before we got married he had to know that i sometimes wake up in the middle of the night scared , cold and with visions like i call them .
he didnt leave me he just smiled and said dont worry when u wake up i will be there next to u so u dont have to be scared anymore !
i know that what i have may be considered as a blessing or a curse by some but who knows where i got it from .
My mother has it and my sister also .
my sister's daughter who is 5 years old now is starting to dream also i wish i can spare her the agony of such dreams but all i can do is take her to church and teach her how to pray and may be just may be save her from the difficulties i went through as a child .
nowadays the dreams i get i no longer feel depressed or angry from them ,the priest taught me to see beyond the dream to see hope at the end of the tunnel
i think of the people that i see at night that have passed away not as people that wish to scare me or hurt me but as tormented souls that desperately seek redemption and instead of waking up scared and frightened i now wake up peacefully and i say a prayer for their souls to rest , a prayer for god to help them .
u ask what is the most important moment in my life ? i tell u the moment i decided to confide in a total stranger and tell him the biggest secret i had , the secret i didnt even dare hear myself say out loud .
my life changed by the hand of a priest who god put in my path .
Though we are in the era where knowledge & responsibilities is boasted like never before, it seems this is also the era where we are confused in facing “turning points” of life. So much so we barely recognize it. Remember these will never be pleasant because its always THE UNEXPECTED.
But it’s certainly Almighty’s way of testing us on our values, knowledge & responsibility. Believe me it’s worth the hardships that you encounter because at the end of each “TURNING POINT” which takes you to unexpected but awesome destinies reveal the real meaning of life.
I am chosen for the company retrenchment and now i am left with no options. But i know this is a turning point in my life. So enough said for the begining & will keep you posted my prgress over next few months
I just finished reading The witch of Portobello and loved it. Coming from India and growing up worshiping Mother Kali, I felt connected to her while reading the book. In this part of the world, worshiping of feminine Goddess is not that uncommon.
Im personally very disturbed on senseless killing, chao going around various part of the world. I truely believe a moment can change lives and I wonder what could be the moment when a normal person raised lovingly by parents, decide to kill fellow human being in the name of some religion, worse decide to become a suicide bomber? We need to understand these moments for misguided souls in order make the world a truely happy place.
Would be nice if you could share your thoughts on this.
Warm regards,
Manish
I think everybody has a lot of moments in life, and all of them influence our life; I think my turn piont of my life is when My father dead because of Heart attack. At that time I was 16 and after that my view point changed. It was so hard but I learnt how to face my life and its problems.
during those day I received your books and its helped me to find my path, I learned how to deal the problems and how to see the life. Now I enjoy my life.
My dear Nelson D' Silva, My best wishes on your birthday today!
Love,
Thelma
Love,
Nelson
The turning point of my life was when I first began to talk publicly about my beliefs and thoughts. I just wanted to share my ideas with my people. I thought that if they would disagree with me they might criticize my ideas and not attack me in person. But they started to call me a psycho and an insane woman. At first I didn't understand what was wrong with them to think of me in that way or what did I do to them to deserve to be called insane. However this thing didn't stop, after a couple of months they started to question my faith. I got severely depressed and I gradually began to isolate myself from people. I spent my days with my beloved books. I read for Emerson and Thoreau which has helped me a lot to understand people's point of view of me. Now I am glad that I have broke free from my society, I am glad that I became an individual though I have paid the price for that, which is living in pain and loneliness. No I don't regret freeing myself because I know that what I did is part of worshiping God and that people can't worship him unless they free themselves from being the slaves to others.
I have a strong faith in God and I know that he will help me find the right path, that he will help me to become fully myself and that he will make my parents accept me the way I am.
For worst: at 13 years old, I started to develop breasts (as a boy), which were later on surgically removed. This left me with many questions about my identity. I came to the conclusion that feminine qualities were not acceptable for a boy and gave up writing poems. I concentrated on being a man, and did a technical studies. Today, I'm working as a technical engineer. I've always felt uncertain with women (affraid that they will see through my mask).
For better: A few months ago - I am 40 years old now - I met an artist painter. He inspired me to pick up painting and express myself. By doing so, I feel the energy going through me; I sometimes get up late in the evening because I feel the urge to alter something in an existing painting - or to start a new one. Gradually, this brings back the energy of life to me. I develop friendships with many different people now, and I don't care that much anymore about their opinion on me. Not that I'm enlightened all of a sudden, I just feel free to express myself.
So, I'm getting back in touch with my personal legend, which must be something like: inspiring others by revealing things they have not seen. This personal legend is yet very misty and unclear to me but I trust that it will reveal itself when I continue to give my artistic qualities (painting and creating music) my full energy. I'm affraid of losing the certainty of a regular income from my job, as I know that this path is going to end. My new path has not yet revealed itself completely and is full of uncertainties. I feel in doubt but alive.
Warm regards, Herbert
Paulo el momento crucial de mi vida lo experimenté hace 11 años. Era joven y era el momento de su llegada. Tuve una crisis nerviosa y el ritmo de mi vida se detuvo de forma forzada.
Este momento ha sido sin duda el peor, pero gracias a él se reconstruyeron pilares que sustentan mi actual vida. Así que a su vez fue el mejor momento de mi vida. Desde entonces mi vida ha llenado de nuevos valores.
Pienso que el momento es a la vez agradable y duro. Así se nos muestra con frecuencia la vida.
I believe that I have some "turning points" in my life. I am not quite sure if they are "turning points" or an "enlightenment moments", but I can say for sure that those are moments of light!
About eight years ago, I was eight months pregnant of my first daughter, when my father died... Well, he was a healthy person with this cardiopathy, a valve disease. We never knew about this disease, and neither he knew. So was a big surprise for all of us. And he had to go through a very complicated surgery, a valve transplant.
Those were very difficult days... Days of lots of prayers. So much tension. And a week after he got home, he died.
I never ever else in my life felt so much sadness... grief... And I could never forget that inside of me was a little girl who was in the same grief with me... One day, my mom was crying and very worried about my dad. Because he wanted to confess his sin, and could not do it... So, now, he was probably at the purgatory, and might not be able to got into heaven... In this very moment I realise that the way I understand God is different than some religious preach. God is pure love! Then I felt myself free to look for knowledge. I know, it took some years more to live another "turning point", a moment to assume my way of living my spirituality. In this path, I met you Paulo (thank you so much for making your books so accessible! Thank you!), I met nun Coen sensei (a zen buddhist nun, who encourage me to change my life), I met teacher Hermógenes (a very special yoga teacher, who inspire me with this phrase: "My soul is thirsty of God!"), than I met my partner, companion of this new life, Vitor (a very special person who changed his life after a cancer). Together, we met Dalai Lama (with whom we took vows to use our life in benefit of all living beings), we took nuptial blessing with Karmapa (who gave us some advices of keeping a good relationship), we met Thich Nhat Hanh (who show us the blessing of the present moment).
So I understood that every moment can be a "moment of light"!!
Every moment can be a "turning moment". The only thing we need is to be open. And every change and choice starts some good things and bad things. You will decide what is going to receive your attention: the good things or the bad things... I say choose the good than you will be able to learn a lesson.
Thank you, Paulo, for opening this space for shares!
"Pace e bene!"
With palms together,
Liliane
(from Brasil)
I admire your strength and courage!
My mom and I used to work in fast food restaurant to make a living. Finally we started saving money so that I can go to college. Church was our biggest asset we had. We did odd jobs here and there and we had to walk 2-3 miles everyday between work and home. One day it started raining pretty heavily when we started going back home. We were about 45 minutes away from home and my mom prayed God to just wait until we get home. I remember the day so well when she was praying and requested God to stop the heavy downpour until we reach home. To our surprise the sudden down pour stopped suddenly. We weren’t that shocked when the rain stopped but to our surprise the moment my mom turned the door knob the heavy downpour started with the same force. My mom and I were just taken back with what happened. It was then I started believing in God. Even though I was brought with all the rituals and customs, I never felt God but that moment was too much for me to digest. Even today when I think about it, I get goose bumps.
I earned good with my 4 year degree and for the past 1 year something inside me was not happy. It was as if something inside me telling me to do something. That’s when I came across the books by Mr.Coelho. Every book I read made me a person that I was not before. My entire perspective of life changed so drastically. Before I was a miserable creature, I was unhappy, pessimist and jealous of material things I didn’t have. But everyday, my life is changing so much. I guess God gives us choices to make and somehow I also feel he makes us pick the option which will take us through the spiritual journey (if mentally we are ready to take the spiritual path). So, coming to the turning points, now I feel every moment is a turning point. Every choice we make, every decision we take is a turning point in our life.
Until i turned to my inner guide that told me i could ask for the oneness Deeksha blessing.
Suddenly i felt better, and i did some checking on the internet and found the oneness Deeksha website.
It comes from India and is like Reiki a healing method, practiced by an increasing number of people.
I found one willing to give me the blessing from a distance.
Actually from india coming sunday. So ill experience it myself. Ive had previous experience with reiki so im openminded concerning complementary healthcare.
And on top of that i received a email about someone who is a practitioner in my own province. So ill check it out.
The fee is nominal, you can receive a treatment from distance for about 5 euro.
Who nows i become a practitioner myself
Soulgreet from Joure
Boomfriend Ruerd
It all began with the death of my brother... at that moment I thought everything was changed for worse as I lost him and parents somehow as well, then friends and finally a touch with an outer world... as the object of mockery became introvert and so my only reality was a fantasy world of Tolkien's books brother has left, of our childhood and - my art. Therefore, pain was constraining me towards good organic things!
On the other side, by being immature, I suffered long time for not fitting into any fellowship or society mold, and for not experiencing civilian night-life... And in many attempts to fit-in I started to fit-out and betray myself as often as I could which brought even greater suffering! But all the time pain and disappointment were quietly yet firmly pushing me towards art...
Then, another two very close contacts with death occurred... and were warnings that finally forced me to surrender to intuition and world of spirits, to childhood favourites – nature and animals, to embrace my being as is and not to be ashamed of it and create from love and for love, all the time restoring the faith in good people.
Three times death was in fact a womb that nurtured a comprehension of everything changed for better and of life gifted, not destroyed!
All that I experience nurtures my inner journey that enlightens the way that I'm walking.
There were some intensive moments in my life that brought me close to death which made me die too. The anger and fear that I felt in these moments were caused by the suffering of loss.
The day that I realised that you can't lose life by death I woke up.
I'm thankfull for the day that gives me life and for the night that brings me to the other side to meet the depths of my soul.
Is there better or worse when you go beyond?
Love
Hildegarde
X
For me, the moment for the "worse" was when my father asked me to 'don't tell your mother'. I have recently discovered how I have lived my life creating people around me hold me as "their secret life" and how it caused unnecessary drama in mine!
For the "better" was when I had the courage to accept and bring light to how I've held 'secrets' in all areas of my life and expose them for what they really are, nothing!
I'm now being trusting and causing trust and openness around me and life is showing up fantastic everyday!(still being tested, but I'm aware of it now) For me now, there is no such thing as 'better' or 'worse' it was and is just the way it is, perfect for my lessons to be learned while I'm here.
But honest to Allah that due to lack of absolute knowledge, I don’t know y I become so lonely,
I actually do not complain for my past tragedies to Allah because. He Has the Ultimate Knowledge for every thing and what ever he does, is the righteous. As Quran says that Allah loves his Creation more than every fatal love. And especially He takes the exam of all believers turn by turn. And it was my turn.
But as I said before that He love his creation, he gave me a “Gift”, my first and the only child my daughter after the three years of marriage, and I turned my self into malleable sand .which accommodate situations patiently, and now my past become my teacher I start remembering my childhood as a lesson and my Mother and sister as a teacher .and reflecting my self as my mother did to me. And enjoyed the moments where I felt my child is sharper and wise then me. (Masha Allah).
What ever I am is because of Him (Allah) Alhamduillah, and I may not able to thank my Allah for his Infinite offerings.
But from that, I knew that I cared about other people and could never live a life not true to that. I could never think unimportant things were important for long. It was tragic but the love that makes it tragic is the most beautiful thing.
For Senad--the "justice" system mainly acts to protect those with power. It is not so satisfying to know that the perpetrator will have to live with the karma he has created. But you can work to help others that have been in your position (or to prevent/protect others) and find beauty and meaning in that.
I am also extremely clumsy and cannot read instructions, I just follow my intuition. I guess my creativity surfaces like that.
I am also very rebellious.
In the last few years I have lost all members of my immediate family.
It has been a trying time because I was living so far away. I felt a lot of guilt about that. I also couldn't phantom why this was happening to me, I always was the strong one, the one everyone relied upon, yet I was the one that had cancer and that nobody asked how she ever felt. It was quite bizarre, the expectations that were placed onto me.
I also started to question where I was coming from. Asked a few questions around. Did not know anything at all about my family history, was never interested in it. A pattern started to emerge. It was a bit daunting. From one side of the family to the other, things were not what they were supposed to be. I had to dig a bit more, from my Mum side things remains to this day unclear. Although I caught her "in full flight" one day nothing has ever been admitted.
From my Dad's side things were easier I could make more sense, my grandfather left his Mum when he was very young and his Mum died when he was 14. He was then brought up by his grandparents. I had noticed how anxious Dad was all the time - I came to the conclusion that he was suffering from abandonment - and he passed that onto me.
His grandmother, was a person that worked really hard all her life ,
with hardly any sleep at all. I also found out that she had a few mental problems - in other words was probably a schizophrenic - This really hit me hard, because one of my immediate family member has also been diagnosed as being a schizophrenic ( by taking drugs).
I have never forgotten the day that person came to tell me that when they were on drugs they could see the people's soul. I still have goose pimples as I am typing this. I knew then that what was being said to me was the truth.
I still did not know about the conditions. I was very concerned and approached the doctor on several occasions, to do something about it. The Doctors hands are tied. There is nothing they can do about it as that person was an adult.
One night in bed, I was reading a Time Magazine's article and this is what I wanted to hear . I then knew that that person was suffering from either bi-polar or schizophrenia. The use of Omega 3 was also mentioned in that article.
Then came the night where that person stayed with us with the beanie over the head and that fragile body that could not hold itself together, it was real agony - you felt so helpless - then trying to convince that person that he had to go to hospital to have something done - etc,etc.
I came onto Paulo Coelho's site after clicking through the TV on a boring (I get bored easily especially if I don't do anything that interests me). I saw a man dressed in black in Iran and I heard a few words like" a mental institution". I had never heard of Paulo Coelho before. I did not get the name right either. I typed something on the computer, nothing came out, then a few months after the name re-appeared. Could have been an interview during the war in Iran - I'm not sure - Anyway, I got the name right he had written a book called the "Alchemist" what was that? no idea and I could not care less anyhow at the time.
So I looked through the site and I sort of watched what was going on, that's my way of doing things.
I liked what I saw, it appealed to me and it was just what I needed at that time. I remembered I think the first time (and that really amused me) because he got really cranky - something to do about the Pirate Coelho's bit -
Anyway I posted something about that. It was as I recalled the first time I ever typed anything on this site.
It was quite unnerving because he is asking all these questions, however does not say anything about what his thoughts are. Humm, I could not understand what all this was about. Although you had the sense that somebody was watching at time.
I was an exceptional scholar and possessed extraordinary musical talent... but... due to an egotistical indiscretion of my father at a critical moment in my scholastic career... I was removed from that place and my first dream died...
After throwing me into a terribly brutal school, my father then insisted that he was not prepared to feed me any longer and I should get out of the house... and find my own way...
I did what I had to do to survive, and as a member of an elite military unit, fighting a secret war in...., I had the unpleasant duty one day, of bringing home the corpse of a colleague to his parents. They didn't believe the official cause of death... and they were right... but I never told...
I was given a few days to myself for doing this, before having to return... during this time I met a girl on the street who I had always secretly adored... and she invited me in... and to my astonishment she told me how much she had longed to get closer to me... and the inevitable happened... after I said "but you must realize that I return to duty tomorrow" she said "don't worry... I'll "not" wait for you" and I can remember crying like a baby all the way back...
A few years later, my parents divorced... I haven't seen my father since... and I slowly began to realize that I really was alone in this world...
Some twenty years later, having literally travelled the entire globe, I finally found someone who was prepared to wait... the turning point came a few years later, it was clear that I needed to end my travels and finally grow roots, there in the place where my destiny had lead me...
The next and certainly the most positive experience, occurred with the birth of my child... this has given me more than anything I have ever experienced in life to date...
... she is the true reason for my being here...
I love you all, for sharing your experiences and turning points... Long Live Privacy Zero... & Paulo Coelho... (another turning point)
Love, Paul
You are quite right, but being aware that we are surrounded by endless moments of potential change is the first step to exploring one or two. Believing we are locked into a fixed path is scary but in some ways discovering there are millions of different outcomes is even scarier. It's what kept the late Syd Barret of Pink Floyd from even getting out of bed much of his later life, in case by starting one path he excluded all the others.
cheers,
Viv
Anyhow, time went passed and towards the end of last year I had my "Ah ah!moment (Oprah)" Boy oh boy that was quite something.
I kept reading everything I could about that man. I was and still am addicted to that site - although I am trying hard to tone it down -
Then I knew I had to take some steps as I reached a very dangerous path.The path of "no return". I decided to go ahead with it, because it was important to me. I knew that this could be something big.
I went "loopy" . When I looked back over all my life,it had been filled with high emotions and confusion, depression. I could not fit anywhere and I felt isolated most of my life.
The reason of me taking that course of action was because of what happened to that VIP person. I am against taking pills for depression and I believed in my own mind that you can beat depression through a more approachable way. I read the first book of Pr D. Servan Schreiber "Guerir"" healing" and I liked his way of thinking.I could not have done this without the help of my other 1/2 and the guidance from Paulo. I went along with this, it was quite hard at times, quite comical at others and very trying - not recommended to the faint- hearted -
I now am convinced that you can beat the beast and I am proof of it. You might think "Gee she fancies herself." that's okay by me.
The suffering of that VIP was enough to keep me going because I don't want this to happen to any young people anymore and I feel the Medical Authority should start listening and be pro-active about that.We are allowing a generation of young adults to become vegetables and are doing absolutely nothing about it. I believe this to be criminal.
It started with his words "You never waste my time" The way he said it I knew he meant it. I wrote this poem for him
http://dutchcorner.blogspot.com/2007/11/letter....
May the spirit of truth always be with you.
Love and strength,
Nelson
But in a way all the bad changing moments has turned up being a lesson for me to push me out from my comfortzone.
Making me think in a new direction.
The best changing moment in my life is when I became a mother of my two beuatiful daugthers.
Nothing can compares with that feeling holding a new born baby in the arms.
Making me having tears in my eyes again :-)
Love and light
Jessica
I think there is a change every day when everything might go the best way possible or the worst. I have got one turning point in my life right now - I am not talking about those everyday changes, because this is something much bigger.
I went to school September 3, 2007 and because of that I had to move away from my hometown. Eight months later I said to my fried from school who were from same city that I was: Lets move together back to Kajaani, which is our hometown.
So we rented a partment and we drove to school everyday together. My friend was having a hard time when we moved together and I helped her to get over it - and her did get over it. She and her boyfriend started to date again and everything went back to way it was before.
A few months later I heard that my roommate was expecting a child and I need to move away - so I went to talk to madame who were renting aparment of my friends boyfried. And she was happy that I was intrested of the apartment. So we sign the contracts and that aparment were soon to be mine. My roommates boyfriend said that it was okey if I move to his apartment but sins that he started to treat me like I was causing all of his and her girlfriend(my roommates) problems.
Yesterday I drove my things to apartment I am moving in. Because of that my ex - roommates boyfriend got really mad, even thought I had his promise that I can move. He made my friend to call me and she said some things about my behavier that isn´t true. I got absed about that and I said somethings I shoudent have said. I touhgt thrue night thinking what went so badly wrong when everything should have been okey...
This morning I phoned to my friend and said I am sorry about yesterday and she was sorry too. Now we are taking a break from each other for a wail.
Now I am thinking is it possible that my friends boyfriend comes between me and my friend by causing these arguiments between us by his own behavier? I even think have I done somethig to him so he has a right to be mad to me? what can I do to stop this? I feel that I am not aloud to go my own apartment because he has lived there before...is that crazy or what...?
I know this is a minor problem but to me it is a roadcross - can I get over this feeling that I have done something wrong...?
Teija
It is still there. It changed a lot for me. I changed job because of it, I started writing, I started playing guitar again,...
Although the experience of tinnitus, the way I have it is not too severe, is negative, I try to see it as an invitation for change. I do think that bringing myself into balance again will help solve this.
When I was 27 I read "the zahir" and I knew who en and what "my love of my life" was. A week later I read about the travel to Santiago De Compostella. I saw my inner messenger and knew who I was. I found peace with myself.
Thank you for your books. They learned who I really am.
My world was to be rocked. I was dragged to hell and back. Exhaustion and pain. Eventually I came up for air. I looked down at the tiny pair of brown eyes in my arms –for they soon turned from newborn charcoal-grey to the deepest brown- and felt like I was sinking. Sinking, drowning, struggling. All those things a mother should not feel.
And I was unable to see. That tiny pair of brown eyes appraised me, critically. Was that possible? Now that I know my son better, I realise that it was.
The turning point in my life was the day I became a mother. Nothing has been the same since. This life that I brought into the world is a driving force all on its own. This life is a tour de force, a whirlwind. He is quick silver. He is deep. He is indignant. His dark eyebrows furrow when he senses injustice, as he does often. He is everything that I am and everything that I am not. Is that possible?
The day I became a mother: colder than ice. The days blurred. I stopped running. The winter trudged slowly through to spring, so slowly.
The Italians said 'e uno di noi', the child chuckled, and I was afraid. Fear and dread. Inexplicable, this was what I had always wanted. To become a mother. To link hand in hand with a tiny life force who would lead me into the future. Into that unknown terrain that belongs to him.
Nearly ten years later he takes my hand and I look again into those eyes, glinting, as his fathers' do. I see the man ahead of us. The child becomes a man, a man of my own making. Is he a man after my own heart?
This is the turning point. The sum of the parts… produce what? The future? A mystery? Someone who will break my heart? Maybe.
Someone who will show me the way? I hope so.
The second moment was when I looked into someone's eyes, and saw a light.I knew that from that moment, death was never going to rule my life, and I felt alive.
These thoughts are coming from a 18 yr old.
Love & respect, Paul
How old are you?
From your life description I can recognize a piece of my own father's life before marriage.He start the army at the age of 15, because of poverty, not because he liked it, and he died at 55, colonel. The truth is: this is the life of a soldier: the sacrifice of personal life.Kids will suffer for sure if you will mix army kind of life with the real family life. But yes, kids are the most important fortune of someone.
So my father had to wait for too long to get "the moment". Now he passed away few years away,of brain cancer (he never, I mean never had been ill in his entire life, but suddently...left us. I dreamt about him that he was really happy in the other life and that he was considered by God I gess "together with heros"...That was a realy nice dream.
And gess what, 4 years afetr he left this life, I gave birth to the only boy in our family, and this baby come out from me with his right hand to the right eye, like a soldier says "hello". The entire hospital become mute of admiration when I said: his grandpa used to be a soldier all his life and now he is gone. But...something from him is back...
So reading your post I remember my dad. I love him. He is happy there.
Don't forget about your wife. She gave you a little baby. This means:LOVE, this means "the moment" you desearve.
Regards,
Adina (33)
You are so right. I was about to become a Christian nun at the age of 18-19, but while some of my friends did it, I didn't. You know why? I have so much to give to the people that I can easily consider to be a nun is a luxury and somehow a prove of egocentism (meaning "I am keeping just for myself the secrets God discovered me;I want to enjoy only myself the miracles"...I think the biggest challenge is what Paulo is having with his readers or potential readers. He share. He share himself in a specific great way we all know.
You know so well, I am sure, that God had and has not only saints among men and women, but also he has martirs,poets (David),some apostols came from fishermen, custom people, philosophs, or remember Magdalena and so on. I am trying to say that He works through everybody, he has no discrimination. So, as a mother, or a married person,you cand still continue (even with no black robes anymore) the life before. (PS: Now I explain myself why I usually wear black clothes...interesting)
Adina
Just hope it hasnt passed without me noticing it.
The moments that I turn to religion also change my life. It seems that is the door that is eternally open for me. Through religion and the moments I share a connection with it, I feel closer to the person I want to be. I move away from being bitter, and feeling like a victim to being hopeful and ever so thankful. I find myself believing in not only the goodness in my heart, but in the goodness of the heart's of others. I find myself.
Infinite x's and o's,
Aashika
I was three years old. My mother brought me to an unfamiliar building by car, and there, in a narrow bed, against the wall of a small private room dimly lit by a single window, lay my father.
I think I knew he was dying. He said something to me that I can no longer remember. I believe it was some trite expression, such as "look after your mother". And then we left. I never saw him again.
A day or two later, a car came in the middle of the night, at 3 am, I believe, to take my mother to the hospital. And then I definitely knew he was gone - my only friend, with whom I had never even had a conversation....
A moment that turned my life for the worse was when I cheated on my boyfriend/bestfriend. We have been together for many years and somehow I began to feel unappreciated. Friends and family were saying that it was about time that we got married and I got scared of that. I began to doubt that he was the guy for me and I didn't realize it then that I wanted to escape from the relationship. But I was a coward. I couldn't end it leaving myself alone. To make the long story short, I slept with a guy who was all wrong for me. I did it despite the alarm signals in the head. I felt so guilty about it and hated myself so much that although I was able to escape my relationship, I got myself into something much worse.
I stayed with the guy I slept with for the next two years which turned out to be the lowest and saddest point in my life. He was a sex maniac. I happened to be someone who was abused in childhood. Looking back, I guess I stayed because I wanted to punish myself for my bad behavior. I got to the point when I wanted to end my life because I felt that I had no hope for happiness anymore. And what's worse was the realization that the one I truly loved was the one I left. I knew he wanted me back but I didn't dare go back to him because I believed that he didn't deserve someone like me.
The turning point in my life when everything turned out for the better was when I decided to be brave enough to face life alone that stay in the relationship that was sucking the life out of me. I never expected that it would lead me back to the arms of the one who was truly meant for me.
Every since I was a child, I always believed that there should not be one iota of doubt in the decision to get married. I married this man believing that it was God's will for us to be together for life. It's been ten years. I still can say that we have lived happily ever after.
Thank you so much for your story & kind assimilation to mine. I'll soon be 56... and yes you are so right in saying that a soldier's life is for many quite contradictory. As was the case with my father, I was not exactly a soldier, rather we both had specialist abilities which were directly utilized/needed by these elite units. My father's core speciality was medical, mine was always aviation.
But as not to digress with ancillary details, the most important similarity in our consecutive stories, is that despite the pain we have obviously suffered over the years due to the lack of having Dad at home or nearby, we do now understand and have forgiven them for their absence and mistakes, in fact we can now even thank them whole heartedly for their "Sacrifice"...
Here's a wonderful song by Mike & the Mechanics with Paul Carrack;
(In the video Mike Rutherford (Genesis lead guitarist) is depicted with the young boy & Paul Carrack sings in studio) The coastline & the portrait of the man in navy uniform remind me so much of my birthplace and my Dad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqQM-HoFeEk
Enjoy, and please be sure to note that there is No Self Pity in my Story... rather a chronology of turning points...
Love, & solidarity, Paul
I also thank you, Paulo Coelho for relieving our souls from ..the burden of well hidden memories and still bleeding wounds. I am not sure yet what to .. confess about my own turning points.. Until Monday..
Love,
Thelma
p.s. Beautiful song and beautiful scenery dear-est Paul. I must listen to it again, to understand all the words.T.
But currently I do a second try: with dogoodo. The idea is simple: Everyone can tell his suggestion to make the world a better place. And everyone can read this on www.dogoodo.org. As an inspiration. To promote. As a demand. Maybe you are interested to take part in dogoodo? Cause in my opinion everyone must be a do-gooder, everyday.
Mail your solution to jc@dogoodo.org - together we can do!
Love
jc
enjoy everything you do paulo, and been been following you since 1998 when i read the alchemist. and traveled with you on your long walk, i have dear friends now from then, others bloggers who followed you also.
take care,
marian
That was the beginning of the end.
- The end of my suffering from not having someone to tell all about me.
- The end of my lack of self confidence.
- The end of my isolation.
- …
Now I know there are people waiting for me to write something new about my life, thoughts, feelings...
The JOY I feel is indescribable.
Love
A moment can give you a pleasure, a moment can bring loads of tears in your eyes. A moment will make you happy, a very moment will make you sad.
When every seconds we live is in the edge of dynamic moment. It is always changing. Moment that Mr. A experiences should be different then what Ms. B experienced.
As we can see, there are moments with every one with every moments people have experienced many good and bad virtues. Therefore, I always tell people that moments are changing all the time. It is never yours. It will create the memories but it does not last long.
There are many good moments in my life but are all these moments really memorable ? Do I really want to cherish all of these moments? Should I filter the best moments and describe it with true beauty ? How should I tell what is good or bad ? Everything in the world is based on "dualism".
The concept where, there are two sides for the same coin. There are two aspects for example in electricity- on and off, there are only two bits in computers: 0 and 1, there are two things in human life: either you live or you die, there are two ways to look at many different things around the world.
If I have to judge a moment in my life, then I will say- every seconds that I live is full of pleasurable moments. These moments are helping me to create my life. I am because of these moments. These moments are dynamic and changing all the time. I know which one is the best and which one is the worst.
But again, I will keep both of them alive. I know those around me who have experienced the bad moments but I will like to tell them how to keep it alive. Nothing should be taken in bad ways, Everything whatever happens, happens for good. There is nothing permanent on this mother earth/
Every object around has life. Whatever you see, whatever you touch, whatever you have purchased last week is yours. The object when you purchased was given to you. It started living with you. Suddenly one fine day- you decided to eat, use, kill, hang, throw and do whatever things with these objects.
While using you will some times remember some of these object but some of them you will not. For e.g. the "pen" that your best friend gave you last Christmas, the gift that your husband gave you last summer which stays with you all the time. I am sorry to say but let us say, your husband is no more and you still have that precious gift that he gave you. That created the moment, the object was born and object is living with you.
The "moment" when your husband gave you this gift, turned into "memories". The object still remains, it is yours and no body can take aways from you. Nobody ! Not even God !!!
"Every step of success or failure we make, is the step some one has already taken"
This quote is mine please give credit when you use it some where. Why am I saying this ? What value do I get when I say that you should give the credit to the creator ? Because, your creation remains but those who created this should also remain. The same idea is with the object and the moment. It is very simple ! See.
Without "moment" there is nothing, and with "moment" there is something which does not want to let go. It will remain deep inside me and us. It will only go when our body will turned into sands and the our creation will be cherised by some one like you who is reading it right now !
Have a great weekend ! :)
--Author of the book "Nature God".
--http://www.kalwar.com.np
At a very young age i found myself at the top of the sport i was forsed to do by a crazed wicked man,who happened to be my father.After years of torture and torment i went off the rails,found drink and men and promptly ran away from home,aged 16.spiralling out of control and suffering terribly from deppression,i finally had a nervous break down at the age of 19.This was a big turning point for me.
I went to sleep one night and had a really strange dream about a feotus[like a lucid dream].I woke the next day and just knew i was pregnant.I went to the doc's and he confirmed it.That day i felt like someone had pulled a veil off me,i took myself off all my perscribed meds,the drink everything.I knew i had to change my life.
I have spent much time alone as i found no common ground with my own age group.although this time has been hard and sometimes painfully lonely it is the best of times.on my travels with my beautiful daughter i have met many wonderful people in the most unexpected places.
It is very hard to pick a moment because ,every moment is special and life changeing whether we realise it or not.I have so many tales to tell as does everyone .we all have our tales of happiness and sadness.
Heres to living every wonderful moment we can.xxx
What is 'beyond'?
There's no boundaries, or they are so thin as between vigilance and dream...
Subjectively was not dead, but was dying. And yet strange how people say 'lost consciousness' because at that moment I felt loosing of all body-senses for this world but my conscious was all prepared for another. But I haven't seen my body from up above, or had all memories passing before my eyes, no. That's why it can be compared to a state of being in a womb – you know you were there and it was not unpleasant but have no further remembrance... More important are omens.
“Le sommeil est un emprunt fait a la mort.”
l.o.v.e.
Marika
Amigo, Ivo
I discovered that I have a Brazilian soul. Though a stranger I felt I belonged. I felt I had come home.
The moment which changed for the better:
In my adolescent years, I transferred into another school, then started getting bad grades. My teachers kept giving me "F's", so in the end, feeling depressed, I took a handful of pills. Fortunately, didn't die but a half-a-year after, was in the hospital, because something was wrong with the heart(the effect of the pills came out). So I was in the hospital for 2 months...when I got out, started to value life and nature and everything as a whole.Was happy to be alive. Just like in your book by the way- "veronika decides to die".
Moment which changed for the worse:
Started dating a guy, which I didn't like from the start (didn't listen to my intuition). But because he kept going after me and being nice and saying kind words... he pleaded so much, so I started being with him. In the end, found out that he got a girlfriend already and when I tried to break off the relationship- got raped by him and couldn't run away. That's when everything went downhill. Didn't report him though and felt used, was threatened by him too; was ready to end my life; counted every minute; became scared of everyone and everything; cut my own hair off, which was long at that time. It took me quite a while to get my life back on track. Still, I don't trust anyone and am scared to be alone with anyone.
The next moment that radically changed me. In eight grade I had learned that my father had cancelled my art class. He at first denied it and said that only rich kids are allowed to take art classes. I became very dysfunctional at school. I tried to actually attend the art class my fellow classmates were taking. But the principal was very aggressive in denying me access and threaten any teacher who attempt to appease me.
I threaten to run away and screamed and did everything I could to let them know how much I hated my parents for denying from be allowed to take art at school. One of my father threats was if we where really bad we would be taken away to a reform school, which was like a prison for children. My eight grade wood shop teacher also taught at a reform / juvenile detention center. Where he said the students were allowed to take art classes
The first time I ran away I was only gone 3 days before the police caught and took me home. I told them I wanted to juvenile detention center so I could take art class. A few days alter I ran away again. This time I stayed off the roads and traveled through the woods. I was on my own for ten days. I could see the large white building surround by a fence that my father had pointed out as the juvenile detention center. But there a a very high fence that used a barrier to stop animals from entering the beltway. There was barb wire and other obstacles that prevented me from climbing over. So I followed the fence to a major road, found a gap in the fence and travelled along the that road. A policeman saw me and chased after me. I eventual out distanced him but he kept following. He promise to take me to the juvenile detention center and handle everything. But he lied. He took me home.
I told my parents that if they did not allow me take the art class, I would ran away again and again. They refused. It was not that they could not or it was impossible. They simply could. They had the the authority to do so and used that power to deny me my art classes. I ran away several more times. And on my last attempt I made to the white building my father pointed out as the juvenile detention center. Which was not. It was the home of a rich man would have either attempted to kill his wife or girlfriend. Because of his wealth he was confined to his home. Upon enter his property he called the police. I talked to him for about an hour before the police arrived. His story did not match what I later read about him in the newspapers.
Some time later, the police came to my home and took me to a juvenile detention center where I talked four inmates and a counselor. They made it very clear that if I ran away again. I would end up there and I would not like it at all. I asked my parents and the principal to allow me to take art class, they refused. That was to take the very same art class every student in my class attend every day. I realize now that since I did NOT run away I accepted defeated on one level.
When the time came I enlisted in the Marines. I did return home to see my parents from time to time and even lived with them after leaving the Marines. But they never accepted my desire to draw and seem to despite I had that talent. Later I moved out. My parents would say I did not have the right to be an artist or to draw, I did not have the right to run, I did not have the right to train in martial arts. These are things rich kids do. I worked and paid my bills, purchased a home and still they said I had no right to do these things.
So for many years I did the things I enjoyed. Last year my sister passed away and in the process, I inherited her children. Now I can no longer draw, run or train in martial arts. Many of my extend family members promised at my sister's funeral that they would help. I knew they would not but hoped I was wrong. AND I knew the moment I said yes to look after my nephew and niece my life would change and it has.
Through out my life there have been people who had some type of authority and are not bothered by taking some type of action that causes harm. They will not be bothered with forms, petitions or pleas or act of kindness. They can be opposed but price is often too high. Since you are not going to win there is no point in making it easy for them. You will be tempted to cheat lie and do things you know are wrong. Which I guess on a spiritual level is what they want. But accepted it is accepted to live in hell with yourself. On occasion you will win. One of the lesson I learn in my martial training. IF your opponent has to cheat, lie and or be dishonest. Then this means on a symbolic level you have won.
Those death were all "natural" - SIDS, cancer, an accident - whatever. I thought all of those deaths were about me - toward me - against me - for me. I never thought of how any of these tradgies effected anyone else - but me. I thought I was the only that suffered, the one that suffered the most. I'd count them up and blame my lot in life on them - for my mistakes and yet credit them also for the strong person I know I am.
Then, 10 years ago, another worse moment - my husband divorced me after a 30 yr marriage and remarried within 6 months.
I was still reeling a year later, when I received an invitation to vacation at a friend's house - and I went. She and her family are well-off; everything in their home looked perfect - work, children, parties, a live-in maid. While after the divorce, I could manage only to live in a one room, walk-up apartment, and work two jobs to survive.
While I was with my friend, it was the maid's night off, and she had forgotten to grate some cheese for a dinner that night. My friend was furious - ranting and raving about the maid, planning to dock her wages, to make her work more - horrible things, for forgetting to grate the cheese.
I said give me the cheese and I'll do it - my friend was amazed that I would do what she considered such a lowly task. She left the room, so as not to have the cheese smell in her hair during dinner that night and as I grated the cheese, I had an epiphany.
I saw that my 50 yrs of life, wasn’t so terrible – that I was able to grate cheese not worrying about “cheese-smell.” That this little problem was the smallest of all of my problems and I recognized it and took care of it - just as I had taken care of, prevailed over all the other problems in my life.
I understood in a flash, that people handle problems differently and that I have to acknowledge and respect that, that not everything is about me, things will be about others and others will be effected. Most importantly I learned that sometimes it’s just about the cheese – to just get on with your life – to do the task at hand.
Ciao, Kate
One day while I was spending time with my friend and lover, I saw him beginning to change clothes. After questioning why he was suddenly getting dressed instead of undressed, he said he was going to rob a store. I told him he was crazy and that I would no longer be involved in the string of robberies we had previously committed. We fought about the matter while I went to my car and gave him all the crap we had been using to disguise ourselves, however, in the heat of the argument I shut the trunk without giving him the fake license plate to put on his car. Two hours later we pulled back into his neighborhood and cops were everywhere. I knew life changed in that moment, but in hindsight it was the moment I shut the trunk. I was only trying to stop him from going down the wrong path, I only wanted him to become a better person. Although my intentions were good, at that point in time, it was entirely to late to change the course of things. We ended up going on the run for a couple weeks before my family turned us in. Those weeks were filled with real living, which was stressful and beautiful at the same time. We truly lived each second as if it was our last together, our last as youngsters, our last as who we were. I never experienced a range of emotions like those I had at that time and I am proud I have made it through all that has happened since then. To live passionately, like I did during those extreme circumstances, is the goal I now set for myself everyday.
in my experience, there's been many...
there's always a moment that arises when i begin to doubt the choice or decision i've made and the circumstance gives rise to one last moment to change it, but i don't - then for some time after, continue to reflect on that very moment, where things could have unfolded differently or 'better', if i changed my choice/decision - this is when i know that i may have made the incorrect decision. although, through reflecting about it, i learn more about myself and then begin to reflect on whether or not it was an incorrect decision, if it involved growth to my being...
it seems though, when life is better as a result of the decisions i make, there is no reflection - just gratitude - and perfect flow of everyTHING...
then i reflect on whether there is such a thing as an incorrect decision... for 'better' or 'worse'
thanks for the invitation to share :)
love
jodi
my awareness in moment led me to the right way I know its signs and its language .
moment is me,moment is my date with my Sweetheart,
it is my heart beet.when I touch her beloved body.
the moment is endless time.
when I feel calm and warm.
Every minute that passes, is a turning point, a series of choices. Me, being born Libra, since I remember myself, I was always thinking of the ..opposite post, the second, the different, the others' way of thinking, the road of 'Good or Evil' in front of me. Every step / choice is that which forms our next step and life. Sometimes choices are forced from circumstances, contrary to our intentions or dreams. Sometimes life was making the choice, which I call Karma, destiny, the 'written', the Divine Plan. We do not choose our family, our parents, our place of birth or our talents. The crucial moment is our ..birth, which inevitably leads to our death. We live a.. double life of two parallel worlds which co-exist. The material and 'inner-life'.Every minute that creation takes place, we become a .. new person, but all our past thoughts and experiences are 'stamped' on our faces, aura and soul.
One event that was a turning-direction-point in my life: At the age of 18, in just a moment of despair, 'blackness' and distress, I abandoned my musical studies. I came back home and for many years I could not even touch my fingers on the piano.I thought, I was going to live a life of a ... 'normal' girl, wife, mother. But to be 'different', an 'artist' is not something that you can 'take off'. It is in our cells, in our whole 'making'. So, I think, I have lived the life of .. someone else, the 'wrong life' and for this, I do not blame anybody. It was 'destiny' and my ... heart's pain.
I thank God for all the treasures he has given me and the most important for me is the love that I feel and the love given to me. I am grateful for everyday of life, my family and for being here with you, especially for 'meeting' Paulo Coelho, who has showed us with his books and paradigm that we are not alone and that we are all ... winners of LOVE.
Love,
Thelma.
a stillborn child...
there is nothing, nothing in this world that allows one such clarity to the fragility of life...
Now you're making my tears flow... I believe everything does happen for a reason, and although it may not be immediately apparent, it is truly God's will. Had you become a world famous concert pianist, perhaps you would have been deprived of the joy of becoming the wonderful mother that you are... it's the most important profession in the world...
As it is not becoming of a WOL, I will not make a comparison... but I believe you are fulfilling your charted path perfectly... for which, I am sure, you will be justly rewarded...
Love, Paul
Kaip Mama pasakojo, komoje išbuvau dvi su puse savates. Dar tris su puse - intensyvioje terapijoje. Pati įvykius, nors ir labai blankiai, tegaliu prisiminti po keturių savaičių nuo atsidūrimo reanimacijoje…
Kai pasibaigė mano buvimo laikas ligoninėje, prasidejo ilgai trunkantis reabilitacijos etapas. Mat, viską reikėjo išmokti daryti iš naujo: mokytis atsisėsti, paimti šaukštą ar šakutę ir valgyti, išsiplauti dantis, susišukuoti galvą, taip pat mokytis iš naujo rašyti… Bei žengti pirmąjį žingsnį… Niekada lyg tol nesusimąsčiau, kokie neįkainojami yra dalykai, kuriuos atliekame kasdien… Kol jų netenkame… Man tai buvo didžiausias atradimas. Kiekviena diena tapo stebuklu - tai absoliuti tiesa, jei turėsime galvoje visas tikimybes, kad kiekvieną mūsų trapios egzistencijos sekundę gali įvykti nelauktų dalykų…
Ir dabar šis tebesitęsiantis reabilitacijos laikas buvo ir yra lydimas neįtikėtinų ženklų, kurie vis kaskart liudija apie globą iš aukščiau... Suvokiu, jog visos kliūtys, kovos ir kančios yra tik sumanyti iššūkiai, kurie padeda atsiverti ir dvasiškai augti. Ir visiškai sutinku su mintimi, jog „Nelaimės yra deimantų dulkės, kuriomis Dievas gludina savo brangakmenius“. Gera žinoti, jog esu vienas iš jų Jo kolekcijoje.
One of those moments was at a pagan festival in holland called Castlefest. The thursday night before that weekend, I lost my precious flute (a low D whistle) on the beach, when we had to run from a huge storm. It felt as though I had lost a piece of myself... Immediately after I had noticed the flute was gone, I ran back to find it, but the storm was too badly and we really had to scram... It kinda hurt that I lost it, but somehow I was able to deal with it okay, because I'm a moment person and I believe everything happens because it's made that way, one way or the other, and it's for a reason... But still, I longed for that beautiful flute...
Then, that weekend on saturday night, when me and my friends gathered near the main stage for the great show of Pagan Night. Suddenly, a pal of mine called Gijs came up to me and adressed me, and suddenly all faces turned on me... And he told me that he and everybody else had a present for me. When he said that, I totally saw it coming.. He and everyone else, all my friends and family there together, had bought me a brandnew low D whistle of Susato. All those people who had chipped in money were my family there, the friends I already knew but also people I didn't know, and who didn't even know me, but they just wanted to help...
I was so flabbergasted and so happy and that's a moment when I realised what wonderful people I've got around me and how I feel connected to them....
A second thing like that occured only this last thursday. That night, Derek Ogilvie was here in town for a signing session, in a Selexys bookstore. In the first place I really wanted to go and see him, but I already had a painting to put on display in a new-age store and I had tons of other stuff on my mind, so I decided not to. I'd always been without a doubt that I would one day meet the man, one way or the other, and that moment would be the right time and place, so I let it go.
But then, as I was standing in the store talking to the saleswoman that night, I got a mobile PM from a friend, saying she had just had a big Derek hug. And that's when I suddenly remembered the signing session and the impulse nudged me to go for it, so I told the saleswoman that I had to go and I started running to the bookstore. I arrived there out of breath and I was just in time, too, for two minutes later they closed the door behind me. I was last in line, which wasn't that long anymore, and when it was finall my turn to see him, the lady from the store asked if I wanted to take a picture. But I said no, I didn't want a picture, and no autograph of Derek, I just wanted a hug! So I hugged him and I thanked him for all the beautiful things he's done, but then he looked at me and said like: "Thanks... thank you so much, I really needed that". I was totally awestruck! And he was just looking so sad... So I hugged him again, haha, telling him it was alright and okay, even though I had NO idea what was going on.
So the bottom line of that... In an impulse, I went running my lungs out to a bookstore because I deperately wanted a hug from Derek, and I felt I needed one... But instead, it turned out that I was the one giving him a hug, because he really needed it... And then I thought like, what if I hadn't decided to run? But I did, and I think I did because he needed not particularly me, but someone that night, and something just like.. stirred the universe that made me run to him. And it also reminded me just how much I love Synchonicity!
I'll tell one last moment, in short... It was when I first read Veronica Decides to Die. That book changed me, forever, and for the very best. Because it totally struck me at the heart, telling me to WAKE UP DAMMIT, and I started to read other Coelho books as well, and it was as though reading about my own views and beliefs, and that's when my level of conciousness started to change, drastically... As I'm writing this, that moment when I first read about Veronika, was five months ago.. So I'm still in the middle of that change, it's almost like a transformation, and even though I'm having a tough time keeping up with myself right now, I'm totally enjoying it... Thanks Mr. Coelho!
o-lways
V-it
in the
E-nergy
Love always lives in the energy
El amor siempre vive en la energia
L'amour vit toujours dans l'energie
Yeeha
p.c. you rock!
:D
There hasn't been a wrong turn, there have been regrets about decisions made, but everything has worked so that I learned the lessons I needed to learn no matter what I do, so I don't think there is actually a wrong turn, I think the lessons you need to learn will follow you wherever you go, there is no escape, there is just being proactive and learning lessons instead of feeling a victim.
You have said in your own 'turning- point' above that you found out in an instance that you were alone. This feeling can be experienced even if you are with other people and there is lack of understanding. Then the distress is bigger.
The other turning point that I wanted to tell you is that when I was sick and afraid of the worst. In my dream, I saw myself carried by doctors and nurses for a surgery and suddenly appeared a most handsome man with the sweetest expression, dressed with clothes from another era and he told me I am going to make you well! I asked him : who are you?? The answer was: I am Damianos.
Next day, as usually I did not remember anything but after I had taken my daughter to school I sat and suddenly the dream came in my mind. I phoned my sister and asked her: Do you know any Saint called Damianos, because I saw him in my dream and I want to go to the church and light him a candle[this is Orthodox tradition]. She said : No I do not think so, but I remember in St. Francis of Assizes, there is the .. church of St. Damianos.. Maybe in the .. Catholic church. In an hour I phoned to my best friend, Annie and told the story and she told me to looked at the diary with all the name's days of our church, that it was given to us as a present in a gathering we had been together. The letters were so small and me with short-sight I took a 'lens' from my daughter's desk.[I say this long story, just to show that I really did not know, who he was]
Yes there is a Saint named Damianos!! Exactly there are two brothers Kosmas and Damianos, they were doctors and called 'Aγιοι Ανάργυροι' [Saints of 'no-money']. I went to a church to pray and thank him and in that 'modern', recently painted icon, he did not look the one in my dream. Then in a visit to a small church in Paphos, in the icon there was the same .. man of my dream. For me it was a miracle that I keep in my heart as a diamond. It is the reassurance that we are not alone. It is our Father's love expressed. I have surrender my will and desires to His will. I found my peace.
Love and God's Love to all of you,
Thelma
p.s. Please forgive me for .. talking so much and spending your time. T.
We are never alone!!
Love,
Thelma
We wanted to change the world in one night and start a new life together, but we forgot the most important part: before we could even dream about it, he needed to be free.
Today, I realized that even when I´m convinced that he is the love of my life, we will never be together unless he closes that other door, that other story of his life. But is so damn painful to move away and leave behind all my dreams, our dreams that I honestly feel destroyed....
Today my relationship took a turning point, a very painful turning point, but I realize that even when it kills me to be away from my loved one, I will never be able to be with him unless he breaks the chains that attaches him to his past....
It kills me not to be with him now, but I wish from the bottom of my heart that this sacrifice ends up being worthy and that at the end of the tunnel, I find the peace and the happiness I´ve always wanted to have....
Within my experinecen is many time, when we should something overcome, to go next step in our life.
Like a couple of lovers, before a marriage.
They a fall in love, they can't see anything other then them selves. After they goet married - they start to live together and new situations, challenging ar coming to them.Sacrifice, accepting the secondone habits.
If they overcome and grow in they hearts, they go next step of level of heart.
After are children born , and new challenges are coming.
Biger sacrifice, losing like "ouselves" world, complety giving oneself to children.
If we wann this , then we go next level.
But many times is not easy. Many times we loose.
Like a fathers - for them sometime is more difficult to sacrifice their tiredness, not to lay down on couch after coming from job, but to play with kids.
If they winn, children are happy, wife is happy- the husband become a most precious and loved peson in the world.
When they loose, kids remember "a picture of father laing down or reading a newspaper", wife is angry,....
I have experience, that amost always before this kind of changing a very hard time is coming - same as before to come on the top of the mountain, we feel we can't do it, but ...
If we make one small step forward (even we fell we dyi) we can winn everything.
And the prize for it is very very good feeling of succes, of peace on our soul, mind
To go left or right, to good or wrong, never come in one second, every time is a process, like you have writen in "O demonio e a senhorita prym".
And everytime is our conscience, speaking to us. Is good God created like that, otherwise this world doesn't exist already.
Everytime we feel don't worry you can do it, just we are afraid to follow this silent voice and we decide kind of "easy way".
So many moments of Change....
It is truly enlightening to hear your expierences...there is never forever only the moment...as the song goes...
When I awake from a dream and feel completly at peace as if the dream has worked out the cause of my anxiety from the depth of my soul. That moment is a treaure a changing point.
Listening to te Band Dead can Dance lifts my heart to realms never experienced before.So in tune with subjects of importance.
Reading a book such as the Earth has a Soul "Jung" when what you read seems to connect to your very core of exhistance, your reason for being here.
The same feeling I expierence when connecting with the words of you Paulo, these moments of greater understanding assist with a clearing the mind of unnessasary clutter. That prevent us from moving on to the next moment, to change what is the wrong path for the good of our selfs and others.
Understanding the importance of the Moment is the key. Its the Gateway to the possibilty of change.
As always Paulo you hit the nerve centre of whats key in life to be openly discussed, thank you!
Warmly Carol.........
My 'moment' came just a few short days ago. After 52 years, I finally recognized my truth. I had been living my whole life in the service of others. It had always been what I had done best. It was just a way of life for me. I had known all along that I was this person and I was quite content with myself, but people kept telling me that I should put myself first for a change. I began to think that maybe they were right.
I was spending many hours on MySpace enjoying connecting with the most beautiful people and listening to the most talented artists from all over the world. But there were many who simply were vampires, and recognizing my caring attitude toward them they began seeking to use me to promote their agendas. I allowed this to the point of self neglect. I was trying to teach them my way. I wanted to show them that we should love and respect one another regardless of our talents, intellect or beauty. I wanted to stand for an attitude of appreciation and gratitude and ultimately love for our human family.
MySpace was designed to be a place where 'people' could connect, share their gifts, and possible develop real friendships. I accomplished all of this and it was worth the thousands of hours. It was worth a lifetime to me. I got back so much more than I invested. I learned much from the most brilliant people. I experienced music in a very profound way. I felt the heartbeat of the Universe from sea to shining sea. I found truth, beauty and love at every turn.
Still, there is only so much one person can do. The time came when the love was more than any one human being can handle. I left MySpace because I had done what I wanted to do and because my cup was full. Can we change culture, you ask. Oh, yes, we can! At last.
With love and gratitude,
Diane
My first moment of real change came the day I met my boyfriend. Pieter and I met in our first semester of college in an Art history course. He had come all the way from Belgium to study photography in Chicago. I had just left another University to also come to Chicago to study photography. It took us an entire semester to have enough courage to talk to one another. The last day of class after our final exam, I waited outside to approach him and talk. That moment of courage changed my life forever. I really do believe people come together by chance for a higher reason. That evening in the middle of January (Chicago's coldest time of year) we walked nearly the length of the city getting to know each other. We stayed up the whole night talking till 6am. That day Pieter told me, "Jennifer, I will love you 110% and don't ever forget this." At first I was shocked because it's not everyday that someone says such a bold statement after only having really met and spoken for the first time, but deep down I knew that he really meant it. From that moment on Pieter and I were inseparable. What Pieter told me that day was in fact a true testament to his character and the way he lived his life, always in the present moment and full of love. Throughout the years we lived together, worked/studied together, and supported each other through our love and knowledge for photography. It was not only our relationship that changed me, but it was the way Pieter expressed his unconditional love to so many people. Pieter was an example to me of what love really means.
My second moment of change came on September 11, 2007 when Pieter, at the age of 27, passed away in a cycling accident. What many people feel after experiencing the death of a loved one, usually fear, sadness, anguish, were not my initial feelings. I did indeed experience pain, but along with the pain there came an incredible feeling of peace and Pieter's presence. At the present moment I am staying in Belgium for some time with Pieter's parents. We've read some of your books and often discuss them between each other. They also give us comfort. I just finished reading "Like the Flowing River." Two reflections that resonated with me were 'Reflections on 11 September' and 'My funeral.' I am grateful to share that Pieter did everything he wanted to do in his life. He was following his heart and dreams and enjoying every bit of life he could, through good and bad times. I would like to thank you for giving us the idea for Pieter's epitaph. It's been over a year and Pieter's headstone remains blank but for his name engraved on a simple black square. The other evening Pieter's father had finished reading 'My funeral' and announced to us what he thought Pieter's headstone should say as well. "He died while he was still alive."
There will always be moments of change, but it is how we perceive these moments that determines whether for the better or worse. I'm grateful for every moment I had with Pieter and the example he was for me and others he had made contact with throughout his life.
Live fully, love well!
Jennifer
Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Yes im a Nurse, a Registered Nurse. 4 long years of study about how to take care of the sick people, memorize the medications they have to take, analyze and relate the diseases,the causes and the possible cures. Of my exposure to the hospital,i never get the chance to clean the body of my dead patient. Or rather, no patient died under my care. A very good Nurse may be. . . but not until my 3rd year in college.
The 1st patient who died in my arms was--my mom. I went home 41 days before her death. In that brief time,i applied all knowledge and learnings at my best. But that's not enough. Its too late. She died on 13th of May. Weird coz as if she chose the date since her favorite number is 13.
Until now,2yrs after she died of renal cancer, im still grieving somehow. I really missed her. . .
im not really sure if this is a "for better" or "for worst" moment. But i just have this enthusiasm to post this story in your site. i didnt even post this in my own blog. i just want to share it with you Paulo,who inspired me when im was experiencing "the moment". Thanks! =)
At the beginning i thought failing was going to ruin my life, that i cried my self to sleep, ever night through out the summer. But now its the best thing that ever happened to me. Sometimes blessings DO come in disguise.
I am happy to say i am a happy, smart, social and loved 12th grade student now, yeah i moved to a different school now. But i still go visit the school that changed me and made me a better person :)
PS: tried to make it as less dramatic as i could...xD
I simply walked over to ensure the time of the day I was living on was the real time of where I was. So many numbers on screens, I stopped at a screen that showed what I thought would be time. It was 08:27, blinking, and was in a bigger font then others on other screen. I decided to sit at the seat facing the screen; the decision that created Athena at D.A.
Three seats away, I asked if the numbers on screen were actually time, Athena answered, giving birth to the moment, a moment I am still trying to relive.
At the end, Athena said that the “experience” would not exist today if I didn’t initiate, but Athena created the moment without the first step. It was like standing on an escalating belt, simply moving, in no direction, at a different frequency speed, making everything else a mere other life. We were in another life, in an instant.
The next 5 hours went by, we paused to look outside the world we’re in 3 times, to see TIME. TIME; something that does not exist in that world, all that exist is moment, moment after moment.
During this moment, we spoke, we shared, and we found, everything from past to present and future, about certainty and uncertainty, about chaos. All words that is from this world, but has insights that can only be seen from that world. About people, and what they’re capable of. We shared trust, in a strangers place, with no hesitancy, the world is never a strangers place for her anyway. She trusted the universe, and could see what the universe was giving her and keeping her away from. She had a relationship with the universe. She understood the language.