What is time


What is Time?

Go ahead, Google "What is Time?". You probably will get a dictionary answer discussing an "irreversible succession from the past". That which is represented by a ticking clock is probably the only meaning we get from this aspect of life. Over the years, mankind has improved ways of keeping time, from sundials to atomic clocks. Mankind has imagined what would happen if we could alter time as we knew it, through various books and movies. People have created books where they could play with time to discover their imaginations and learn more about themselves and embrace their ideals. 






 

The Alchemist is an unorthodox story that shows time has no meaning and not the main theme.  It is a story of characters with no time barriers with a dream realized.  Santiago meets Melchizedek, King of Salem who helps him on his mission. Melchizedek was briefly mentioned in Biblical times who met with Abraham. As Santiago continues his quest, he meets the Englishman.  Englishman existed after the fall of the Roman empire, which obviously was much later in history. For these diverse characters to be on the same time period is very interesting.  One could argue as Santiago continues on his journey, that all characters from different era existed at the same time.  However, on page 28 (of the pdf) a stranger shouts "Urim and Thummim". These stones belonged to Melchizedek who was also a high priest and used in ancient Jewish tradition. The Englishman points out that they "are not worth much" and "only made of rock crystal".  It’s recognizable that the time period is still fairly ancient. The characters were not restrained by time and are often not rushing to go places. With time taken out of the equation, there is one less stress factor.  Santiago was able to learn all he needed about the desert and with the help of the Alchemist, he completed his quest.


Below:Englishman


Below:Melchizidek





Above: Urim and Thummim held out by the High Priest



Dreams can be hindered due to time sensitivity of resolving unexpected circumstances. Santiago did not allow time to control him, but he was able to do so with his own destiny. Though we can’t pause time, we should not allow it to get in the way of achieving our goals. No matter how man tries to manipulate time, nobody really understands the true essence of time, yet it can turn to be beneficial.

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