The Witch of Portobello

I wanted to write something about this book and I decided to put it in here. I’ll be writing in raw impromptu composition right now, if that even make sense.

First of all, I wanted to raise a glass for Paulo Coelho (author) for being so brilliant. I mean honestly reading the book have change me, spiritually and emotionally. For starters, it was the end of first semester and semestrial break is coming and by then I started to read this book. Out of plain boredom, I picked the book from an old dusty shelve at home. Since its time for being lazy and all, getting my butt out of bed is really a challenge, whats the use of a break if youre not being a lazy potato at home. It was called a semestrial “break” for a reason right?

Okay I started reading it, snuggling and staying at home most of time. After a week or so, I cant get my hands and eyes off of this book, it was that good, I mean, it kept my interest going, constantly every sentences just fires sparks off my nerves. But since the second semester is just right around the corner, I became busy with enrollment by then. So I start to go out and read this book while I have free time i.e. while waiting on puj and/or right before I go to sleep. I did not sacrifice my time for friends or family to space out reading the book and I was forever thankful for that chosen process.

Athena is the main character of this novel. Her life in this book brought happiness and realization to me in each phases esp when the part I was reading on directly relates to the situation I am going through in my life. It truly became my companion for the max of three weeks. I can say, I was in a good company.

To relate it on my life, well, let me site a lil of my stumbles. Well, I got my heart broken. Shocking? Everyone do suffer from heartaches once in a while, you know, and I don’t have the capability to spare myself from hurting when love is present in the equation. So yeah, maybe 3-5 days of me reading the book, I got my heart broken. Consequently, the part I was reading while I am experiencing this brokenness was the part where Athena and her ex-husband got a divorce. Her ex-husband said by the time he spit the divorce word, that he wanted to take them back if Athena would say the word. That with just a one call away he’d be on Athena’s side immediately. But Athena didn’t call or even try to communicate him, so he goes on with his life. After a long looong time, being connected by their only offspring that they needed both to support, that leads to seeing each other once in a while. Her ex-husband ask Athena why, when he asked her for a divorce, she was totally okay with it and for some reason was fine about the idea of separation. Athena answered “Because all my life, I have learned to suffer in silence.” And that just got me. The person who broke my heart asks me to let go, to “just” let go. Dont you know how putting “just” on sentences doesnt make it any easier to do? And seeing that word on the sentences texted on you breaks your heart reading it because no matter how much you wanted to let go, its just not that easy. Maybe just maybe I was Athena at that time, learning to suffer in silence.

Next chapters where about searching. When Athena search for something to fill-in the blank spaces in her life, she traveled a distance to look for her biological mother. I was always thinking that searching for the unknown is the greatest adventure but in this book Athena knew exactly what she was looking for. Then she met her mother, she finally accepted herself but there is still missing and the trip helped her to arrive at the purpose she’s looking for. She met people on the way that adds up a little spice in  her life. That is life I think, even if you know exactly what you are looking for and is certain on what profession you’ll pursue but there is no greater power of the hands invisibly manipulating our destiny, we may be had our own visions and paths to take but we are allocated with purposes we are designed to do. God is somewhere present and I wanted to believe that what is happening to me its because He has plans, always had. I will not try to even question his ways anymore, I am simply obeying now.

The part where going against the rhythm when dancing and all the knitting with no pattern, it got me big time. All my life, I was always afraid to make mistakes and go where mostly what people say and what they think is the right decision at the moment, when they’re on my position. The book teaches me to not be afraid of the uncertainties, that forgetting who you are is the start of change, that a person can only change upon forgetting all the definition that people say and start on defining it himself and living the life he’s given.

When I was on the last fifty pages, I was hesitant to read it, I mean who wanted something so wonderful to end right? In these pages, the conflicts are raging and it feels like it all happened instantly. As a reader, I don’t want to end the story like a chaos. but my dedication towards the book got me so I continue to read it till the end. And gasp upon reading “Athena’s body was found”. She’s dead *insert blank stare emoji*. My tear was at bay just by reading that. I look back to all the struggles she had gone through, at how she handles situations, and how people will always find a way to destroy her even if her work was not for fame or for money. She doesn’t want any of those, it was simply of the people’s greed and selfish act that made Athena what she was.

(I dont wanna spill too much for people who are reading this cause they wanted to read book and is just checking out reviews. So, theres some portion of the book I will not mention, its for you to find out. go read the book.)

But oops, there was a letter at the last few pages where I thought it ends there, well there’s actually more. The novel was yet to finished. I cleared my eyes and continue to read. It was written by her boyfriend, the boyfriend who was never by her side physically but always been there by heart. The journalist has always been suspicious about Athena mentioning her boyfriend and not seeing him. And the letter just pushed my tears out. I was inside the workstation for CpE5 students and I had my keys, so mostly I read the book in there too. To continue the story, I was alone and was more glad that I had my jacket on to use for wiping the tears away. There I was in awe, I thought for some time Athena was mentioning someone as her boyfriend to make the journalist back off cause shes not ready for a relationship. But then again, He was real, he was part of her life. And again I realized that no matter how opposite you both are, how both of you can’t coincide with a single idea, that distance is not a problem at all and does not define what you both have, even if you rarely talk to each other nor see each other, no matter how far your interest is from the other, love goes a long way. Don’t try to define love. Love simply is.

Her boyfriend asked Athena why she loved him and she respond “I don’t know and I don’t care.” and that was the moment I knew, I can’t find the exact words to define the love I have for the person who broke my heart but now that I read this book, I’ve realized that its okay to not care about the reasons when you love someone.

Because LOVE simply is.

P.S. this probably have some grammatical error but I don’t care.. hahhaha joke.

(1hr impromptu composition)

Made this since I was very hung up on the book. Two thumbs-up (y)

READ the book guy’s, it might as well help you.