It was a gorgeous day. No humidity, faint breeze, wisps of white clouds – the kind of day that hints autumn is around the corner even as summer lingers. I was walking along the old rails-to-trails path behind my house.
Several miles from home, far from any roads or accesses points, something unusual happened. You’d think I’d feel the vibration underneath my feet. Or hear the motor as it approached. Nope. You’d think I’d notice the odd way my dog was acting as he kept looking over his shoulder.
The medical team hiked up the mountain, then cautiously across the narrow ridge. Donkeys carried our supplies, stepping tentatively in the worn path that extended as far as I could see. The sea sparkled in the distance without any hint of the pollution and trash that cluttered it.
The drab brown grey of the barren slopes gradually gave way to scraggly vegetation and tiny houses with drapes for front doors. The scrawny dogs and goats watched us trek by, and an occasional brave Haitian peeked out from the open-air windows.
Eventually a small village came into view in the distance at the crest of the trail. The vegetation increased: lush greens, tropical flowers, bananas, sugar cane, even a few small grapefruit trees. The people increased, too: a few working in their tiny gardens or washing clothes on rocks in puddles. It felt like we had traveled back in time. No running water, no bathrooms, no electricity. When we finally hiked into the center of the village, the sun was sinking in the sky. This was the village of Bon Se Jou.
Last month I had the incredible experience of hiking the
Camino de Santiago in Spain. I know it will take weeks to process the whole
experience, but in the meantime, here’s the first installment!
On the Camino
“What is it?” is easier to answer. The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of Saint James, is a Catholic pilgrimage to the city of Santiago de Compostela in the Galicia region of Spain. The Apostle St James, one of the two sons of Zebedee and brother to the “Beloved Apostle” John, is traditionally thought to be buried there. He is the patron saint of Spain since he evangelized the country and according to legend, interceded on its behalf in battle against the Moors.
People have walked the trail for over 1200 years, and it now attracts more than 300,000 pilgrims annually. Those who walk at least 100 km receive the Compostela, a colorful handwritten certificate authenticating their accomplishment (though in my case, the handwriting proclaimed my name as Mr. Arnold Colleen). Pilgrims carry a Camino passport booklet, which is stamped at least once or twice a day in various towns, chapels, and post offices along the way, to validate the distance and time walked.
My Compostela
For a lot of modern walkers, the Camino provides simply a vacation – a chance to exercise, get away from technology, eat well, and explore the stunning countryside. For others, it is a pilgrimage of challenge and achievement, celebrating a landmark birthday or event like retirement. For many, though, the pilgrimage is still a quest for prayer, faith and spiritual growth.
Neil’s favorite place was our side patio. He sat there for hours musing about life and music and books and God. Back then I thought it was a terrible waste of time – I equated being still with being lazy. There were so many practical things that had to be done! There was always more yardwork, more housework, more children’s activities. It seemed downright irresponsible to just sit outside frittering away time watching clouds and bugs. Oh, how my mind has changed!
One of the unexpected blessings of my empty nest is that I have learned how to do nothing. It seems like a less than lofty goal in today’s world, but for an overachiever like me, it is an amazing accomplishment. While the world tells me that I need to be productive and active, my personal peace needs time to download. In the silence I can hear my thoughts and listen for the tiny whisper of God’s voice. I cringe at the thought of all the times I talked mindlessly to Neil while he was sitting quietly on the patio. I wish I had one more minute with him to let him know I understand now. Continue reading →
Since Neil died, I am learning to appreciate solitude (at least sometimes), but I am still having trouble adjusting to all the work that goes onto caring for a house. I started keeping lists to remind me what needs to be done.
From indoor things like laundry and groceries and pets, to outside things like the yard and the heat pump and the car, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. The lists help me feel more in control and productive, and I admit I love the sense of accomplishment that comes from crossing things off when they are done. I should have known I was developing a problem when one of my friends invited me to lunch and I declined to go. I didn’t tell her it was because I had too many things on my list, but it was. Continue reading →
