Like The Flowing River by Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite author. A master storyteller, his writings are simple but profound. I have read most of his books and my all time favorite is the 'Alchemist'.

Like The Flowing River is a brilliant masterpiece by Coelho in which he has shared his experiences, his encounters, his thoughts, ideas & opinion and his philosophy towards life.

This is a book which you can read before going to bed and get up in the morning fueled up with that vigor and enthusiasm to rock the world.

The Story of a pencil, How to Climb Mountains, Believing in the Impossible, The Way of the Bow are some of the pieces that I simply love reading again and again.

The content of the book has so much depth in it that it simply keeps lingering in your mind for a long time.

For a sneak preview, an extract from the book-
Statutes for the New Millennium

1. We are all different, and should do what we can do te remain so.
2. Each human being was given two possibilities: action and contemplation. Both lead to the same place.
3. Each human being was given two qualities: power and the gift. Power directs us towards our destiny; the gift obliges us to share with others what is best in us.
4. Each human being was given a virtue: the ability to choose. Anyone who fails to use this virtue transforms it into a curse, and others will choose for them.
5. Each human being has his or her own sexual identity and should be able to exercise that identity without guilt as long as they do not force that sexual identity on others.
6. Every human being has a personal legend to be fulfilled, and this is our reason for being in the world. This personal legend manifests itself in our enthusiasm for the task.
7. One can abandon one’s personal legend for a time, as long as one does not forget about it entirely and returns to it as soon as possible.
8. Every man has a feminine side, and every woman a masculine side. It is important to use discipline with intuition, and to use intuition with objectivity.
9. Every human being should know two languages: the language of society and the language of signs. One serves to communicate with other people, the other serves to understand God’s messages.
10. Every human being has the right to search for happiness, and by ‘happiness’ is meant something that makes other people feel content.
11. Every human being should keep alive within them the sacred flame of madness, but should behave as a normal person.
12. Only the following items should be considered to be grave faults: not respecting another’s rights: allowing oneself to be paralyzed by fear; feeling guilty; believing that one does not deserve the good or ill that happens in one’s life; being a coward. We will love our enemies, but not make alliances with them. They were placed in our path in order to test our sword, and we should, out of respect for them, struggle against them. We will choose our enemies.
13. All religions lead to the same God, and all deserve the same respect. Anyone who chooses a religion is also choosing a collective way for worshipping and sharing the mysteries. Nevertheless, that person is the only one responsible for his or her actions along the way and has no right to shift responsibility for any personal decisions on to that religion.
14. It is hereby decreed that the wall separating the sacred and the profane be toen down. From now on everything is sacred.
15. Everything that is done in the present affects the future in the form of consequence and affects the past in the form of redemption.
16. All statutes to the contrary are revoked.

Paulo Coelho's books always end up stirring something inside you, leaving you restless and give you that push to take action for improving and changing your life for better.