The Alchemist is one of those books I’ve read over 20 times. If I’m feeling lost, overwhelmed, or anxious about the unknowns of the future, I’ll pick it up, open it to a random page, and start reading. The word “Maktub” often catches my eye—it means “it is written.” In the book, it’s used as a reminder that everything is part of a greater plan, written by one hand. There’s comfort in that, especially when life feels like chaos.
One of my favorite quotes from the book says:"When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it." - — The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
There’s something about the simplicity and rhythm of the story that helps me breathe again. I’ll read until I feel calmer, until I’m reconnected with the book’s thesis—that life has meaning, that signs are everywhere if we’re open to them, and that sometimes, the unknown is where the magic happens.
One of the beautiful things about reading is the way your imagination gets to paint the scenes. For all the years I’ve been reading The Alchemist, I still don’t have a clear picture of the main character, Santiago. And honestly? It doesn’t bother me. I’m not searching for him. I’m searching for meaning—the clues within the pages that help me make sense of my own story.
This book came into my life after a particularly painful breakup. My heart was shattered, and I was drowning in loneliness, questioning, “Why is this happening to me?” I didn’t know how to move forward. The Alchemist became both a warm hug and a massive shove onto my post-traumatic growth trajectory.
The “Why me?” that I whispered through tears eventually became, “Now I understand why me.” The lessons I learned from that experience—the kind you can only gain when life shocks you into reevaluating everything—became a turning point. The pain wasn’t for nothing.
If you don’t have a book like this on your shelf, one that grounds you, comforts you, and gently nudges you back toward meaning, I encourage you to keep reading until you find one. For me, The Alchemist was that book—a guide I didn’t know I needed at a moment when I felt completely lost. And even now, when life gets heavy or the future feels like too much, I go back to it. I flip to a random page, take a deep breath, and let the words remind me: Maktub.
It is written. And I’ll figure out the rest as I go.
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