The book that I recommend is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It is a well-written and easy-to-read book. The story is about a shepherd boy named Santiago trying to find his personal legend. A personal legend is a dream that one tries to achieve. Santiago’s personal legend is some treasure that is said to be buried in an Egyptian pyramid. But a hard journey awaits. Santiago is robbed by a thief, has to cross a scorching desert, and reaches the crossroads of life and death. After reading the book, you may realize that Santiago’s journey is similar to your life. Life is a journey toward achieving dreams. The difference is just the narrative of those dreams. One can dream of becoming a doctor, and others can dream of traveling the world. A personal legend is not just a dream. It is also the reason we are born.

There is an impressive quote from this book that I want to share: “Everyone, when they are young, knows what their personal legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear, and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream or to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their personal legend.” As children, we believe that we can grow up to be anything we want, so there are no limits to the possibilities. We are told that everything is possible. But as adults, we rationalize, we doubt, and we settle. We think those dreams are perhaps a little far-fetched, which leads us to ignore our personal legends, burying and forgetting about them. This book is a lesson on how to follow our dreams no matter what stage of life we are at. Following dreams is what motivates us to live our lives to the fullest.

To fully understand the story, I highly recommend answering the ten questions presented at the back of the book. The questions are quite difficult to answer, but it’s worth it. I had the opportunity to think deeply about the story by pondering those questions. I am grateful that I read this amazing book as a freshman because it helped me prioritize things effectively and motivated me to achieve goals by pursuing my personal legend. I hope you also find your personal legends after reading the book. What is your personal legend?