By Paulo Coelho
For The Bali Times

What is written

A blind man was begging on the road to Mecca when a pious Muslim came over and asked whether the people were giving generously – as the Koran commands. The man showed him his little tin, which was almost empty. The traveller said:
“Let me write something on the card around your neck.”
Hours later, the traveller returned. The beggar was surprised, for he had received a large amount of money.
“What did you write on the card?” he asked.
“All I wrote was: Today is a beautiful spring day, the sun is shining, and I am blind.”

About The Object of Love

Sartre wrote: “Man’s freedom consists on choosing his own slavery.”
We read this and think: “Well, it seems as if he is right.”
“I work eight hours a day and if I am promoted, I will be working 12. I got married and now I don’t have time for myself. I sought God and I am obliged to attend cults, masses and religious ceremonies. Everything that is important in this life – love, work, faith – ends up becoming a way to a heavy burden.”
There is only one way of escaping this: through Love. Loving what we do means transforming slavery into freedom.
If we can’t love, we’d better stop everything now. Jesus said: “If thy right eye offends thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”
This is a hard sentence. But that is what it is all about.

Where it is better to live

The king sent for a saint who wandered throughout his country and asked him who was God.
“God is forgiveness and we should try to imitate Him,” answered the saint.
Enchanted and willing to improve his comprehension of the spiritual world, the king asked the saint to come and live in the king’s castle, so he could help him imitate the Lord.
“I thank you,” said the saint. “But if Your Highness sees me kissing your daughter, what will you do?”
“Don’t you dare saying that again! I will send my guards to arrest you immediately,” reacted the king, showing all his rage.
“As I walk through nature, I live in the home of a King (God) who sees me committing a hundred sins a day and he continues giving me his love. How would I change this King who forgives me, for someone who arrests me for something I did not even do?”
“Your Highness asked me for a definition, listened to it with your ears, but did not let it get to your soul. Follow your way and I will continue following mine.”

© Translated by James Mulholland

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