Monday morning and have an precious hour to be with you. I am going to walk at 0900. Blue sky out there right now overhead.
Well, we lost Rho. Well, we didn’t really but she isn’t physically present this morning. Ah, she will be missed. Like all our guests she left certain jewels and hopefully she took some with her from here. By jewels I mean inspirations or methods that we can now employ. One lovely practice that she played with was picking up three things from the environment and making little collages. Then rearranging and maybe rearranging once again. The pics of my rosary with various other items were her works.
I walked only one lap on Phil’s Camino with her and then I had bad symptoms and couldn’t continue. But when I said that she could walk alone and it would count in the logbook she just took off and did seventeen more laps in the next few days. Yea, enthusiastic!
We had some time to talk about archery and we got one archery session in. We will have to continue later as we just hardly made a start on it. I did get a chance to give here a beginning lesson on praying the rosary. Hopefully that is a jewel that will stay with her.
Well, that is sort of the bad news that Rho has had to go. And the good news that I have been waiting to announce is that I have been chosen to go with the Order of Malta on their annual pilgrimage to Lourdes, France. Just got the official phone call yesterday afternoon. This is happening in early May.
And the bonus to that is that Padre Tomas the official unofficial padre of Caminoheads will be going with me as my care giver. This is an unbelievable occurrence really. There is some sort of chemistry that will certain take place. Fasten your seatbelt Felipe!
Now in this time before the pilgrimage I will be preparing. Lent will help immensely just as it did for me before Spain in 2014. Please pray for me and Phil.
All good loves, Felipe.
Great news about France, Phil!
Ryck ~ and the timing is phenomenal! I am predicting critical mass. Felipe.
Felipe, yes I left with many jewels and am glad to know I left some gems with you as well. And France, WOW! I so appreciate the opportunity I had being a part of your lives for the last few days. I also cherish that were we able to do that one lap together. Do you realize it was the most imortant lap? It was my first lap on your Camino and you were my guide. I couldn’t have done the others if you hadn’t been there to help me with the first.
Being on this side of the Camino, meaning that I havent yet walked the Pilgrim path in Spain (though I hear its call deeply) I do not always have a full understanding of experience to contribute to certian aspects of the conversation here. However, now that I have shared in your Camino my experience has been expanded somewhat. While at your home I pondered the question you shared with me on our lap of the Camino “What are we figuring out here?” Cris and Catherine’s post have helped me gain some insight as they have Camino experience. While I was at your house I came up with this list:
Probability
Opportunity
Provision
Equipping
Preparation (especially for those who have yet to walk The Way)
People
Kindredness
Reciprocity
This was my list I wrote my first day there. I do not know if it is in sync with flow here or not. But as I continued to journal during my time at your home a new word emerged for me…courage. Are we trying to figure out courage with all the aspects of your life, your camino, the blog, the book, the cancer, the church, or is courage something that each one of us is gaining as we participate in your journey together?
Another jewel for me to ponder thanks to your hospitality, openness, and courage To fully share with us with each step of your journey…
More gems for meto ponder as I return tonight to California. Thank you for the inspirations…
Rho ~ and thank you for sharing your life with us. I am glad that that question about what we are figuring out has sparked your interest. It is an excellent question and deserves our attention. And yes, everything worthwhile seems to take a lot of courage. Good addition! Felipe.x
Congratulations, Phil, on your ability to travel to Lourdes! May God bless you and keep you safe and secure in all your comings-and-goings!
Jim ~ this is our spring. There are so many great energies converging that the chemistry is bound to be amazing. Felipe.
Hola Felipe and Hi Phil,
Wow! Wow! Wow!! So many WOWs lately in Caminoheads!!! We could feel a storm was being cooked up but never as big as it is getting and it has just started!
The news about Lourdes are so great… there is so much healing right now, and so much to come… I am thinking on your words in the trailer of Phil’s Camino, that line that called my attention because I had a similar experience although so different obviously: it is not the same to be cured than to be healed. Felipe, and Phil, I cannot tell you “guys” how happy my heart feels right now for you, for this experience to you both, my two fellow pilgrims! (Because you are two!)
And about Rho’s visit and her insights about the Camino, they are so great too… we have to start exploring “this” more, at least I have, because there is so much that can be said. How is that walking in the back of a farm going to nowhere has become this trigger to so many thoughts, reflection, sentiments, experiences, confluence of people from so many places, countries, continents; how did you become the protagonist of a movie and the inspiration of so many? How is that your roof became the shelter for so many? How is that these connects with “healing” ?
There is certainly so much to figure out yet… but so much we have already… I am profoundly touched today with all the possibilities that I sense going on here!
Love you always
Cris
Cris ~ there are so many energies converging. I am just going to have to sit back and watch and listen. Thanks for trying to keep up. Felipe.x
My Oh My, my friend– Lourdes, Order of Malta, Baths and the communion of like-minded friends you haven’t met yet.
I am so, so happy for you.
Esteban ~ ya, my good dude, off on the next pilgrimage. So many good things coming together. Hope that you are keeping up with things where you are. Praying for you effort. Felipe.
That is such wonderful news, Felipe!! Buckle up, Peregrino, Providence and St. James have got you covered!
It’s gonna be more than Alperfect – let’s start thinking of the next word that’s beyond Alperfect…
Love,
Mary Margaret
MM ~ I know, I am so blessed. Pilgrimages are coming to me. I just have to keep sane in the trenches where I find myself. OK, a new word project, good! Felipe.x
Phil, What wonderful news on your pilgrimage to Lourdes. Congratulations
Dave
Dave ~ yes, everything groovy here. Just have to keep going in the trenches. Thanks for checking in. Felipe.