Book Notes: The Witch of Portobello

From The Witch of Portobello by Paulo Coelho

- Life, however, had other plans - when fate is very generous with us, there is always a wel linto which all our dreams can tumble.

- Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

- Suddenly for a fraction of a second, we feel that our whole life is justified, our sins forgiven, and that love is still the strongest force, one that can transfrom us forever.

- But at the same time we feel afraid. Surrendering completely to love, be it human or divine, means giving up everything, including our own well-being or our ability to make decisions. It means loving the deepest sense of the word. The truth is that we don't want to be saved in the way God has chosen; we want to keep absolute control over our every step, to be fully conscious of our decisions, to be capable of choosing the object of our devotion.

- It isn't like that with love--- it arrives, moves in, and starts directing everything. Only very strong souls allow themselves to be swept along.

- Music isn't just something that comforts or distracts us, it goes beyond that --- it's an idealogy.

- When the pain abated--- and time is the only cure for that --- I saw that life had allowed me to meet the one woman I would ever be capable of loving.

- But time, as well as healing all wounds, taught me something strange too; that it's possible to love more than one person in a lifetime.

- So I'd prefer to accep my loneliness. If I try to run away from it now, I'll never find a partner again. If I accept it, rather than fight against it, things might change. I've noticed that loneliness gets stronger when we try to face it down but gets weaker when we simply ignore it.

- Try to feel good about yourself even when you feel like the least worthy of creatures. Reject all those negative thoughts and let the Mother take possession of your body and soul; surrender yourself to dance or to silence or to ordinary, everyday activities- like taking your son to school, preparing supper, making sure the house is tidy. Everything is worship if your mind is focused on the present moment.

- Don't try to convince anyone of anything. When you don't know something, ask or go away and find out. But when you do act, be like the silent, flowing river and open yourself to greater energy, Believe --- Simply believe that you can.

- Instead of trying to prove that you're better than you think, just laugh, Laugh at your worries and insecurities. View anxieties with humor. It will be difficult at first, but you'll gradually get used to it.