Alchemy

The other day someone texted me by mistake, and said: U shd read the Alchemist. It was a wrong number text but it felt like a sign.

I'd read the book a while ago, but I did a search on it because I'd read it a long time ago. Why dig out the book when I can get on Amazon to look for a review/summary of the book.

It's about a young shepherd boy from Spain who is on a mission to find gold and believes that he needs to go to Egypt to find it. And after going through many adventures and landing in Egypt, he discovers that the gold was in the small town where he left it. When I first read it, I thought, geez, does this story mean that you don't have to travel long and hard to find your treasure? Does this mean that one shouldn't travel at all? Does it mean that you should start digging in your own backyard? And then someone explained to me that it is about the journey we take to discover our personal mission or treasure - and that this journey is really about getting to know ourselves, and that everything we need is within....

I'd read this book about 5 years ago. At the time, I think I thought, hmmm that's kind of interesting. But, I puzzled over its meaning and then forgot about it as I went on about my daily mindless way, going out with friends getting drunk figuring out what I was going to wear the next day.

I think I need to read the book again. I'm 36 going on 13. I dont find my job satisfying; I could use more friends; I haven't had a boyfriend in at least two years. Is this what they call a midlife crisis and is it the crisis of confidence that you have in the middle of the journey - where you don't know if you're going in the right direction and if you need to turn back or where you're not sure where next? Or, is this the beginning of a journey to discover myself? I wish I knew.