“AlthoughI have been through all that I have,
I do not regret the many hardships I met,
because it was they who brought me to the place I wished to reach.
Now all I have is this sword and I give it to whoever wishes to continue this pilgrimage.
I carry with me the marks and scars of battles – they are the witnesses of what I suffered and the rewards of what I conquered.”

“These are the beloved marks and scars that will open the gates of Paradise to me.
There was a time when I used to listen to tales of bravery.
There was a time when I lived only because I needed to live.
But now I live because I am a Warrior and because I wish one day to be in the company of Him for whom I have fought so hard.”

(Coelho, Paulo. 2003. Warrior of the Light: A Manual. NY: Harper Perennial.)

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