"Never stop dreaming."

It was my fear of failure that first kept me from attempting the master work. Now, I'm beginning what I could have started ten years ago. But I'm happy at least that I didn't wait twenty years.

~The Alchemist

The Alchemist is one of the most quotable novels I've ever read. In fact, as I was reading it last fall, I was quietly wishing that I owned the copy I was thumbing through. I wanted to underline every other sentence.

I fully blame Tim for my love of this little book. And while I can't wholeheartedly embrace its theology, there's certainly plenty of nuggets of gold in its pages. Because I'm a dreamer. Always have been. And I think it's about time I start following those dreams. Not to get all sappy and Field of Dreams on you....

Years after the sale of the movie rights, The Alchemist is being adapted into a film. This little parable of hope will be produced by Harvey Weinstein and starring Laurence Fishburne (who is also directing. Go, Morpheus). I'm not sure how I feel about its adaptation, but I knew when reading it that such a fate would be inevitable. Check out my MovieZen entry for more details of its adaptation journey.

Lately, I've been so eager to embark on my own journey for hidden treasure. I'm sure I'll try to wax poetic about my little (and often lovely) life in the coming weeks, but I can't tell you how ready I am to step out and start living the adventure. After the events of this past week, I feel rather fearless. In a really healthy way. Not in a stupid jump-off-a-building way.

We are afraid of losing what we have, whether it's our life or our possessions and property. But this fear evaporates when we understand that our life stories and the history of the world were written by the same hand.

~The Alchemist