TOW: Togetherness

In The Alchemist, Santiago goes in search of his personal dream and goes through many places, meeting many people.  Eventually, Santiago and the Alchemist are captured by bandits.  The Alchemist promises the bandits that Santiago is actually a great alchemist, and that Santiago turn into the wind in three days.  \

For three days, Santiago contemplates the desert, and on the third day, he goes to a cliff, where he will be killed, or he will turn into the wind, and he will be let free from bandits.

Santiago speaks to the desert, who in turn tells him to speak to the wind.  Santiago tells the wind he needs to become the wind because Santiago has a personal legend he must fulfill and that he can be the wind, because love can do anything.  The wind tells him he is too different. The wind tells him to speak to the hand that wrote all.  Santiago turns to the sun, and asks him to help him become the wind.  The sun does not know how to do this, and Santiago says when something realizes its Personal Legend, it must change so it can acquire a new Personal Legend, for this is how alchemists turn lead into gold.  The sun says that Santiago should speak with the Soul of the World.

Santiago goes to speak with the Soul of the World, but instead of speaking, listens, and then prays.   The Soul of the World speaks to him, and becomes one with Santiago, and with the love that the Soul of the World has, Santiago knew he could perform miracles.  And so, Santiago becomes the wind.

All I have been thinking about lately is about how Santiago became the wind.  Not because he was one person, special, but because he was someone valued others, and placed his trust in them.  It was asking, desiring, and words that made a miracle happen.   The bandits that day thought Santiago was a great alchemist.  But, being together with others was what made Santiago the wind.  Not power.  Not money.  Not fame.  Not expertise.  But togetherness.