'Eleven Minutes'

Once upon a time... That's how the book 'Eleven Minutes' by Paulo Coelho started. And why it started like that I didn't quite understand while I was reading the first few pages. But after I kept reading this book, page after page, word after word all the way to the end... I finally understood why the book started with those four words.

I got this book from a friend of mine, the first time I saw that book, it was next to her bed. I saw it, picked it up, looked through the pages and put it back. But after a few minutes I spontaneously asked her if I could borrow that book... and she said yes.

So Rachel, thank you for borrowing me your book.

When it was time for me to go home I put the book in my bag; and when I got in my room I was telling myself: today your'e going to read it. But "today" took me a few days to get there.

But oh am I glad I opened that book. In the beginning it was slow reading... But the more pages I started to turn over... the more this book took me along for the adeventure.

I could find myself in that book. I could see the character called 'Maria' as myself, except for the prostitution part... but for the person she was; strong, driven, confident and so much more. She had times that she was afraid, but she never let her guard down. Even when there where obstacles along her way she kept pushing herself. She also kept developing herself in any way she could.

This character... wait, actually I don't even want to call her a character cause she seems so real. This woman called 'Maria' is simply amazing! Maybe I found her so amazing because I could see myself in this woman. It's like the writer of this book took a few pieces of my life, pieces of my life till this very day and put it in this story. Which ofcourse, is simply impossible, so it's just a thought I have.

This strong woman who told herself she would not fall in love with anyone, because she had made a promise to herself and was not planning on backing down, fell in love. She fell in love with a famous painter called 'Ralf Hart' she met by chance.

In the beginning she didn't want to admit to the feelings she had for this man. But the more she fought it, the more she realized she's in love with him and all she thought about was him, she really desired this man and oh how did she love to spent time with him.

The relation 'Maria' and 'Ralf Hart' had with each other was just wonderful, it was not perfect... but simply wondeful. There was affection, they understood each other, they cared deeply for one another, they respected each other, they had the feeling of comfort and also of trust everytime they were together. But the only problem they both had, was that they couldn't or let me just say that they both find it very hard to tell the other person how they really feel.

But the way he touched her body, oh this man had magic hands. Just the way he looked at her could make her tremble. She enjoyed every touch of his hands over her body. With this men she felt like a virgin, she was very careful, but also very curious about his body.

Although 'Maria' and 'Ralf Hart' didn't have a relationship with each other; the attraction from both sides were very strong. This man was a romantic and had far more experience then she had. He does not really show his romantic side to her for they don't have a relationship with each other. But he's just a romantic not knowing what kind of signals he sends out.

He's that man that 'Maria' was constantly thinking about right after they met. He's the man she wanted to give up everything for and just be happy with him. He's the man she learned so much about and who challenged her. He's the man she will always love dearly.

The book 'Eleven Minutes' by Paulo Coelho didn't only let me think about the things I wrote earlier. But there were so many parts in that story where I could find myself; me being almost in the same stituations or thinking the same as one of the characters. This book is about alot of things... it's not just about the hot sex scenes or about prostitution and all of the other things you might read in it. This book is simply about the few little or big facts in life which you will maybe understand a little better if you read this book.