14 lbs…ugh. I was hoping for 12.
I’ve packed and re-packed for the longest walk of my life. Everything goes into a 28-liter pack.
I’ve touched each item and considered its importance…what goes, what stays?
Such a metaphor for life…deciding what to carry and what to put down.
Dad’s old blue bandana…going with me.
Journal, pen…must have.
Yoga towel….ok, leaving that at home.
What does a pilgrim really need anyway, beyond a good pair of shoes and the kindness of strangers?
I leave tomorrow for the Camino de Santiago, the ancient Christian pilgrimage route across Spain.
While the bones of St. James are not really calling me, the idea of becoming a pilgrim certainly is.
So many reasons to walk….
Friendship: I will be joined by four of my favorite people: wise, beautiful, strong women whom I love and respect. The stories and experiences we will share will be richer for being shared together. I am blessed by the friendships that enfold me on The Way.
Physical Challenge: While walking 15-20 miles is not a really big deal, doing so every single day for 14 days over 250 miles certainly will tax my body in ways I have yet to experience. I feel ready, even with my 14-pound pack.
Adventure: New sights, new languages, and mostly new people to meet are all the things I joyously anticipate. I hope to be a light to fellow pilgrims I encounter, and welcome in the blessings others will certainly give to me. We’re all part of the same human family, all carrying too much, learning to release what does not serve us. I will have daily opportunities to practice love of neighbor, not to mention daily doses of Spanish vino tinto.
Growth: The uncertainty of where we will sleep each night and how far we will go all make for a delightful disquiet that is far from my carefully-planned-out life. This will be so good for me, as I learn to adjust and adapt to all the uncertainties of a pilgrim life. Comfort-zones should be tossed-aside sometimes.
Spiritual Connection: As my feet follow the path of thousands of pilgrims before me, each step will be a prayer, awakening me to the One who loves me like no other. I will release the burdens of this world that are far too heavy to keep on carrying. I will open my spirit to the love and the light that is already mine, but too often smothered by illusions of doubt and fear. I will leave my rock at the foot of the cross at Cruz de Ferro. And I will be changed in ways I have yet to imagine.
I am as ready as I’ll ever be.
“At its heart, the journey of each life is a pilgrimage, through unforeseen sacred places that enlarge and enrich the soul.” John O’Donohue
Wholesight 