Camino de Santiago

​Camino Day 9
Today my Camino experience is complete. I will leave for Madrid tomorrow morning.
My first stop today was the English mass for pilgrims. I’m so glad I went. It may be my favorite experience believe it or not. And lo and behold, Beth, who I finished the Camino with walked in!! Her plans changed so she was still in Santiago de Compostela for another day. The priest was a Jesuit priest from Northern Ireland and a Camino pilgrim who comes to volunteer each year. He was phenomenal!! He shared so much and knew exactly what we were all feeling. How do we take the Camino back to our lives? In a world full of excess, consumerism, ego, greed, how do we live simply and with kindness, peace and gratitude. We each got to light a candle and go up to the altar and say a prayer as part of the service. As I listened to others’ prayers I was struck deeply by a man from Ukraine. His prayer was heart wrenching and everyone in the small chapel wept. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much angst on behalf of another person. Being at this mass altered me again. It was fitting that today is Solemnity of the Sacred Heart.
After mass I made my way around the area, people watching and exploring. I met another solo traveler at lunch, Jenny from London. She grew up in Spain and was back visiting her parents. She gave me some great tips for my day in Madrid. And again, our lives had many similarities. She was so sweet and I enjoyed our lunch conversation. And grateful for her knowledge of the Spanish menu. She recommended the Octopus and I loved it!
I walked through the Cathedral one more time and went below to see the tomb of St James. It is in his footsteps that we walk the Camino to the final destination and his resting place.
I don’t know that my words adequately convey this experience. It is something that I will carry with me forever! I am altered in many ways, but it’s going to take some days for me to really feel the residual emotions.
Thank you for following along and sending me good vibes and messages throughout.
Buen Camino
J~

​Camino Day 8
To the “End of the Earth”.
Fog
Damp
Cool and
Heavy
To the End of the Earth
What do I see
Vastness
Eternity
To the End of the Earth
I lay my burdens down
And
Walk
Away

​Camino Day 7
Only Love can make it rain
The way the beach is kissed by the sea
Only Love can make it rain
Like the sweat of lovers laying in the fields
Love, reign o’er me
Love, reign o’er me
Rain on me
Rain on me
The WHO
As I walked the final 16 km of my Camino, it rained and these song lyrics played over and over in my head. It’s not one of The WHO’s most popular songs but it’s one of my favorites.
The rain was an appropriate ending to my Camino. It was a cleansing. It was a baptism. It marked the end and the beginning. A new threshold to walk over. And when I finally reached the end, the rain stopped and the sun began to shine.
As God would have it, I ran into Beth from Minnesota as soon as I crossed into city limits. We said hello and as you do on the Camino, immediately recognized our shared language. We walked the final 2 km and it felt like we’d known each other a lifetime. Our stories meshed instantly and I’m so thankful I didn’t walk that final stretch alone. We exchanged numbers and have already been keeping in touch.
I came on this Camino at the perfect time and my “why” was exactly what the Camino gave me. To mark the end and the beginning. Today brought it all together and ended with a pilgrims mass that was the most amazing moment for me. It was in Spanish but as a Catholic I recited everything to myself in English. And I wept. How amazing it was to be in this moment.
Tomorrow I will take a bus to Finesterre, considered to be the end of the earth. I will stand at the edge and I will give thanks one more time for everything that has gotten me to this moment. Even the difficult things. And I will be at peace with the person I have become through it all.
This week altered me in many ways but mostly validated my faith and my path. For that I am forever thankful!
Love, reign o’er me
Buen Camino
J~

​Camino Day 6
Thank you all for your prayers and following along. I definitely feel the energy; it has really helped! Today was my longest day, 15 miles. Mentally it was also my toughest day. My body felt heavy and my mind was not very with it. I was emotional and fatigued.
My mind couldn’t think straight. At one point I was trying to recite The Gloria and kept getting stuck on the first two lines:
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
Something I’ve said thousands of times and I couldn’t remember what came next.
Then I switched to a poem, Slow me down, Lord. Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.
It was an earworm that would not be satisfied until I could complete it. But maybe those two separate phrases were just what I needed to remember in that moment.
Tomorrow I will arrive in Santiago de Compostela. I am aiming for 11:00 so that I can attend the Pilgrims mass at noon. I know this will be an emotional moment.
As I come to the final day of the hike I’m not really sure how I feel. I do know tomorrow will be exactly as God would have it. I’m looking forward to experiencing the next three days in the city of Santiago de Compostela. I’ll be staying in a monastery near the cathedral and I will love being immersed in the history.
Thank you again for following along. It’ll be an early day for me ~
good night and buen Camino
J~

​Camino Day 5
Along The Way, you find people who are taking the pilgrimage for a special purpose. Maybe it’s the physical challenge or in honor of someone or something in their life. You also find people who are walking hoping to release a burden or a pain. Everyone has a story and the Camino is full of people who will walk with you and listen.
As my fellow pilgrims and I met this evening, we talked about some of the people we’ve met along The Way and how their stories have impacted us. I’m walking with a group of missionaries that do amazing work with refugees, who have shared tremendous stories that feel unbearable. But in this experience we also recognize that we ourselves have stories of the pain we carry. Stories of illness, loss of children, parents and siblings, stories of addiction or abuse that we’ve all experienced and continue to work through. It’s very humbling and reaffirms that God didn’t bring me this far for me to lose sight of the path.
Today I walked with Christian. He is 8 years old and very smart and LOVES Jesus. He and his family travel a lot and he knows how to be respectful and have great philosophical conversations. Better than many adults! We walked most of the day together slightly in front of his parents. I really enjoyed our time and conversation!!
I have two more hiking days before Santiago de Compostela, but many of the pilgrims I’ve met started over a month ago and are hiking the entire route. I am inspired by their journey and stories. I think, knowing what I know now, could I complete the whole route? Maybe
But for now, I’m experiencing it as God would have me with the people I was meant to meet along The Way.
Buen Camino
J~

​Camino Day 4
Thus says the LORD, "Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it’ Jeremiah 6:16
Today I walked 14 miles. Again a lot of hills but very beautiful forests. It is energizing to meet people along The Way. Today, after a quick coffee break, I met Kitty from Hong Kong. She heard me speak to someone and noticed I spoke English, so she joined me on my walk for a while. She is also Catholic so we enjoyed our time chatting about the Camino and the meaning of the Way. We talked about our faith and how we are both open to hearing and learning about other faith traditions. We also learned that we will be on the same train to Madrid next week. Again, another example of the Camino synchronicities.
I’m finding more and more each day that my mind is letting go. There is no rumination or overthinking. If this is what the Camino had to teach me, I gladly accept. Calm mind and restful spirit.
Buen Camino
J~

​Camino Day 3
Today was mostly up hill!! Even though it was a shorter day, it was the most difficult so far.
We were encouraged to spend the day in solitude, which felt very natural for me. During my walk today I energetically participated in the chant for peace back home. My hiking poles hitting the ground simultaneously with rhythm. Om Mani Padme Hum. I felt at peace in the midst of challenge.
As we talked about the day over some local wine and cheese (we do this every evening), several shared their solitude experiences. The challenge not just physical today, but with deliberant silence.
As I’m walking these first few days, I’m noticing that my mind is very clear. Even my journaling right now is very simple. Nothing profound. No big epiphany. No mental distractions. Just complete presence.
Stripped down and upgraded continues to be the theme of my life right now. And with that, our group leader shared this practice of stripping away words from Psalms 46:10 I find it very fitting for this moment on the Camino.
Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am
Be still and know that I
Be still and know that
Be still and know
Be still and
Be still
Be
Buen Camino
J~

​Camino Day 2
Is it Friday?? I have no idea Started out cooler today but quickly heated up. The path was much more crowded today as I am now on the most popular section of the Camino. At first it was a challenge to find solitude in my head. But the Camino provides. A familiar face said hello and gave me a hug. My mom’s pastor, Jim, who has been on the Camino since the end of May. He is doing the whole route and I’ve been following his progress. I knew he was in the general vicinity but thought he was ahead of me. Out of the blue!! There he was walking by me as I stopped to take a drink. The Camino is full of these types of stories.
We walked the rest of the day together and I’m so glad we did. The stories of his pilgrimage and the people he has met are awesome! We even ran into someone else he’d met along the way. Lucy, a lovely young girl from New Orleans. Pre-med at LSU!! I loved talking with both of them. The day flew by and even in the heat I felt energized!! When I made it to our base for the night, our group leader said I looked fresh and ready to keep going. It really was a great day!!
Buen Camino

​Camino day 1
After some travel delays I finally made it to meet up with my fellow pilgrims. I was 8 hours later than expected but I’m happy to be here.
Today is June 19th Thursday, I think , and my first day on the Camino. I walked 15 miles today and it was amazing! Tomorrow will be a longer day and a bit hotter but I’m up for it.
Along The Way, I found myself in deep gratitude and prayer for all that has brought me to this moment, including travel delays. The one theme that kept repeating itself in my mind today is that no matter what you’re experiencing in life, whether it’s fear, pain, anger, decision fatigue, demons, etc., just turn around and face it head on. The longer you try to outrun or outlast it, the bigger it gets.
Today as I walked, I physically turned myself around and walked backwards for about 100 meters or so. It was a symbolic message that I won’t back down no matter what! And the Holy Spirit is with me every moment.
There is so much beauty to see along the Camino, I almost feel ridiculous taking pictures but I want to hold this moment forever!
Buen Camino
J~
ps. For now I will post updates here. Wi-Fi service is available but not strong so it might be challenging to update my blog. I’ll do my best in the evenings.