"I drove to the monument and paid for the day pass. I drove to the top of a huge cinder cone and walked around the edge. The place felt ancient and I was feeling lost in the sadness that felt ancient within me. What was I doing in this life? How did I come to be in that place at that moment? There was no answer to the query of my overburdened mind. My sorrow increased.

I read a sign that explained the phenomenon of fertile land in the midst of a lava flow. I saw in the distance a cluster of trees grown tall. It was like an abundant island flourishing in a sea of mother earth's core hardened black. For some reason the lava went around that piece of ground, sparing it her destruction, making it sacred by the grace of her mercy. It was called a dagala.

The sound of that word called to me, dagala. It called to me like it was my name. It opened my heart and I began to cry. I saw that I was like the dagala, that I have been surviving emotional devastation in my life, and I'm not happy with surviving anymore, I need to flourish. I felt the essence of an abundant, creative dagala in my soul. As I understood and pondered these things, I decided to call myself by the sound of the word.

I called myself Degala."

Sapphires From Venus -- Joy of Stumbling