Quotable Desta

“The only friend you have is the coin and the invisible image of it that your grandfather’s spirit tattooed on your chest.”

“That hidden image of the coin you just touched is your protector and companion for life. Trust it!

The first thing Desta felt he must do was find the strength within to endure, no matter his situation.

Think of the coin image on your chest as a tool that connects your conscious self to your inner magical powers.

The days and months ahead don’t bode well for you. Brace yourself. I know you’re strong enough to withstand what’s coming.

Deep within him (Abraham the father) were things he had never fully understood as a boy—their meanings and consequences, the direct and subtle effects they had on him as he passed through life.

In a sense, it appeared to Desta, those tears were his salvation, relieving and freeing him from his bondage and troubles.

He felt good to know that he came from somewhere bigger and wider than just that confined valley. He had added to his self-worth and pride in who he was and where he came from.

What he did was not by choice but out of desperation. He was not going to blame himself and he was not going to apologize.

Even as hazy and numb as his mind was, his very existence on the brink of extinction, he managed to contemplate the merits of his goals… Then Desta was suddenly seized by a renewed desire to fight this adversity. He could endure and deal with anything. All he needed was to find a solution for his hunger.

A voice within him said, You have never seen anything like this, boy, but this is another lesson in life you have to learn to endure. Your limitations will be tested, and painful it will be. Your body has the ability to stretch, expand and grow, and adapt to new circumstances. The price for this is pain, and you have to endure it.

What is happening within you now is a metaphor for the life you have come to know.

“I’m a survivor. No matter what, I could never go back on the promise I made to grandpa’s spirit or leave my own aspirations unfulfilled.”

The unlimited possibilities of going farther and farther away from his place of birth, of seeing things he’d never witnessed before, of discovering places he’d never been to, and of coming closer to finding the Coin of Magic and Fortune had taken a new hold on him.

“Never limit yourself. Never listen to anything but your heart. Never be shackled by the beliefs or prejudices of others. You have a beautiful spirit. Don’t let it be tarnished because of what others do to you. that you also descend from the royalty of Gonder, and for this you deserve the title of prince and other associated accolades. That his ancestors were this or that didn’t matter to him. He just wanted to be strong enough to accomplish his goals.

More than the money itself, the discovery that he had the power to earn it and not be dependent on anybody for anything, now that he had a livelihood, brought him joy. It was akin to the feeling that had filled his heart when he first stood atop the mountain above his home and discovered there was a much bigger world than the one he had been living in all his life: he now had the freedom that came from venturing beyond his realm, into the far-flung universe.

He didn’t know what to call the feeling that blanketed him at that moment, but it was like having a solid rock to stand on, not outside but within him. He knew what he could do for himself through his own efforts. The coin was his protection. He could go with courage as deep and wide in the world as required to achieve his goals of finding the other coin and finishing his education.

It was empowering to discover that the world had a lot more to offer than all his family and relatives combined could offer. There was kindness in complete strangers, more so than in his own family, and all he could hope was to find more of them.

He took this experience as a lesson. Never again would he rely on external aids.

“We individuals have no power to change things. But have to learn not to let ignorance influence our thoughts and the feelings we have toward other people.

“By virtue of being born to you I have inherited all that makes up who you are, and I have no choice about that. But I do have a choice not to inherit your beliefs, attitudes, and prejudices. I will not allow myself to be shackled by them. I cannot afford to!”

“If I had been emotionally attached to you, it would have been harder for me to leave the valley and easier for me, as Teferra once said, ‘to come running back’ if life became difficult to bear. Hunger and hardship I could endure, but missing your love and comfort would have been harder to overcome.

Make your decision based on your feelings of today and not on those of the future!

Don’t worry what people will think, but think what will be good for your overall purpose!

Your life mission must take precedence over anything else, or it’s not a life mission.

Trust your numbers and have faith in the information you have been given.

Always do things when they feel right for you and not when you think they feel right for somebody else!

“You wanted two Parents-of-the-Breast, but you ended up with one. There could be a reason God didn’t want you to have Tshai for a mother…Sometimes one good parent is all we need.”

And he knew there was a powerful essence within him; it could make a cross-eyed boy see straight, cold water warm, and a vicious dog suddenly repentant and submissive. The coin was his protector and also a device that helped connect him.

Desta also had learned to have faith in providence and strangers. People who were not related to him had genuine affection for him, and they wished him well. They treated Desta like a family member, a friend, and a confidante. And from these experiences, he loved the people he had yet to meet. directly and quickly to his power within.

“Be patient with yourself and the world. Everything about your future was set in place long before you were born, long before . . . long before . . . long before . . .” The voice seemed to have difficulty spitting out what it wanted to say. “Let’s just say as long ago as when the mountains facing your country home were created. The same mountains that tell your story.”

“Yes, certain events are already in motion for your benefit. There are more on the way. . . . You need to be patient until some of these events catch up with you. Remember: you still need to go through life like everyone else to earn the privileges you have been granted.”

“Always allow yourself to think of other possibilities if the familiar doesn’t seem to work.”

Desta’s faith in the kindness of the world was stronger than ever. All he needed was to keep going.

“You should take that flight as a metaphor for a life: you do not have to count on relatives or acquaintances as you embark on your journey. You cannot allow yourself to think in those limiting terms.

“Have faith in the power that is within you. Have faith in the world. It’s composed of many good people who can be like family to you but without any strings attached. A truly free life is when you have no strings attached—when you don’t have to count on someone or something or feel obligated to people or things.

“Wherever it is you want to go, you have to go there and hope for the best. That is the kind of risk you have to learn to take if you wish to achieve your dreams.” If you can achieve a feat no one in the whole province—or the whole country—can do, you can overcome any challenges. Take advantage of this privilege and keep going.”

Desta remembered what his father often said about coincidences: “people call predetermined events coincidence when they happen.”

he should leave his past where it was….This meant he had to fully accept his losses.

he shouldn’t defy or question the veracity of the prophecy. He had no power to change it, just as he had no power to alter the color of his eyes or the hue of his skin.

his future was much more than his past, with unlimited possibilities and opportunities.

never regret and never look back. Regrets are neither wise nor accomplish anything.

his life had been governed by the predominant theme of duality: the head and tail of the coins, the two coins themselves—one in hand, the other missing, the kind and not-so-kind people he had met or lived with, the numbers 6 and 9, the earth and sky of his childhood, and the dark and light of his genetic code.

For Desta, it was also important to understand that one aspect of duality was not necessarily better or worse than its opposite. Even though it might seem a person would need to be a paragon of virtue to accept evil on equal terms with good, they were powerful but opposite realities of the human experience. Unlike Desta’s younger years, when the bad outweighed the good, as an adult, he should use his maturity and experiences to keep things on an even keel. He needed those assets to navigate his way in the world toward his destination.

Before you let in new people or experiences, rid yourself of the bad.

Renouncing people who wronged him meant forgiving them.