The gift

I arrived home from Sydney to the best gift in my letter box. It was from Callie, my youngest sons ex from way back who lives in Singapore. I have written about how special Cals is to me in an earlier post so won't go on. The gift was a small book called Life by my favorite author Paulo Coelho. It contains a series of quotes from his wonderful books and I was pleasantly surprised to see many I have marked in my copies included. 

It's a very handy book, perfect for me at this time. It will also save me trawling through my library for just the right quote. I have already used one for the article I am writing on environmental education. It's from The Alchemist.

Everything on the face of the earth is constantly being transformed because the Earth is alive and has a Soul. 

Paulo Coelho

While I was in Rome I read Brida. Diane had brought it with her, I devoured it in a day or so. It's message was well timed as many things in my life are. There are many quotes in Life from Brida and as I read them I smiled, remembering lying on the bed with the warm breeze wafting through the curtains and the sound of the inevitable scooters hooning up via Vaticano, totally engrossed in the philosophies of Coelho.  

There is a long quote in Brida about gardeners and builders, the gist of which is that people are either gardeners or builders. Over time builders become hemmed in by their buildings while gardeners have a life of constant demands and these bring a life of adventure. Unlike builders, gardeners rarely rest. Callie is a gardener and by now should have read Brida, I look forward to our next conversation. The quote I have chosen for today is:

Go in search of your Gift. The more you understand yourself, the more you will understand the world.

Paulo Coelho

It seemed appropriate for this Sunday morning. I have heard from a gardener this morning by email and had a talk to my friend Sue, also a gardener, yesterday. I so value my friends, and enjoy hearing of their adventures. I do owe some of you emails, tonight I promise.