Finding My Treasure

In Paulo Coelho’s the Alchemist he tells the beautiful story of a young shepherd boy who sets out to find his treasure.   Like the young shepherd I can confess that I have been looking for my treasure my entire life, but always missing the point of what it truly is or has been.  Reading this book brought me a great deal of joy and it also brought a clarity that I haven’t had in a long time. 

You see Coelho beautifully illustrates that our only obligation is to realize our personal legend (destiny).  He goes on to say that when we want something all the world conspires in helping us achieve it.  So, what does this mean…

For over twenty years I have worked in the private sector and in every job and role I’ve held there have always been people that others had written off.  There have been people that others didn’t like but would never give the benefit of truth to so that they could get better.  There have been people that others would never miss or even give an opportunity to if they hadn’t inherited the responsibility of having them as part of their team.  But this isn’t only unique to the workplace.  For years I have befriended the less popular crowd.  Perhaps because I see myself in each of these individuals. Perhaps it’s because I know the pain of being judged and rejected or being picked last for a game. 

So, what happens if you like me happen to be the less popular kid – I can’t answer that question for you, but I will share what I recently learned.   As I previously mentioned I have spent a great deal of my life trying to find my treasure and along the way I have collected many memories of helping others find theirs.  In most cases I have never seen these folks again and often I never even received a thank you. Yet, knowing that I was there for them when no one else was has given me great happiness.  And no, I am not happy because I consider myself a martyr that helps others, but because the thought of one less person feeling invisible is all that matters to me.  

Coelho’s comment about the entire world conspiring to help us achieve our destiny could not be truer.  My life has been full of happy coincidences and each step that I have taken along with each decision that I have made has proven to be more rewarding than I deserve.  My family, my friends, my career have all been sent to me from a higher power that I can’t see but know exists.   Every person that I have encountered has added something to my life and if I’m lucky enough hopefully I have added something to theirs.

What I do for others just like what others have done for me has never required follow up.  I don’t need a thank you from those I’ve helped because I know that in the time that I was in those people’s life they were a little less lonely.  I don’t need a thank you or recognition because my only goal is to help others achieve what they want or need.  I don’t need a thank you because just like the many people that once helped me and I remember fondly our time together wasn’t meant to last forever – it was only intended to last as long as it was necessary and having shared that experience is thank you enough.

Today I came to a deep realization.  I have a greater understanding of my what does it all mean.  My why am I here.  Why is it me dealing the fill in the blank. Today when I started to write this blog, I didn’t have an idea of how it would end.  I wrote it and rewrote it because it didn’t feel right and  like so many other unexpected blessings in my life  the words eventually started to pour out and  I learned that my only purpose in life is to continue to try and serve others as best as I can.  It is why I chose the career that I chose and why I continue to see past the optics of what some may consider less desirable.  Today I am feeling the overwhelming heaviness of responsibility knowing that my treasure will never be measured in bank account balances or career accolades but in what I can do for others. 

My treasure will be measured by the lives I help to improve, and my destiny is to never stop trying to help those that others won’t.   I cannot think if a greater treasure and honor in life.