Suffering

Two or three months ago, I purchased The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. If you have yet to read it, it is a remarkable story about chasing your dreams and finding your "Personal Legend" -- your destiny or purpose. I've read this book several times now, and each time I find a different quote or passage that stays with me. Last night, after I wrote the previous post, I was leafing through the book when I happened on the passage in which the alchemist urges Santiago to listen to his heart. His heart speaks:

"People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams, because they feel that... they'll be unable to achieve them. We, their hearts, become fearful... Because, when these things happen, we suffer terribly."

Santiago tells this to the alchemist. His reply:

"Tell you heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams..."

A chord was struck within me. 

How many of us suffer every day? How many of us live our entire lives in fear?

How many of us choose '...Hanging on in quiet desperation...' as described in the Pink Floyd tune "Time"?

How many of us forfeit the chance for the life we deserve because we fear the cost or the work or the possibility of failure?

How many of us realize that, as time passes, our hearts speak more and more softly to us, "...but we begin to hope that our words won't be heard: we don't want people to suffer because they don't follow their hearts."

I live in fear. Everyday. 

I have no dreams. No destiny. I've no idea where to start my search. 

Therefore, I suffer. Everyday. 

Even if I knew what it was I was supposed to do, my fear of change would override all. 

I can't hear my heart anymore. 

So the suffering continues. 

Do you suffer? 

Peace.