Greetings from Karen, Bureau Chief in England. I thought I would share a few musings on what pilgrimage means to me right now.
I’ve walked the Camino three times. I fell in love with it after walking the Frances four years ago and subsequently walked the Portugues and Finisterre routes. This year I was meant to walk the last 100km of the Via Francigena. Instead I was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer and the year has been a treadmill of major surgery and chemo. It certainly wasn’t what I thought I’d be doing….
So when I was given the all clear a month ago, I decided to go to Spain. I can’t walk far but I can drive. So I’d visit some of my favorite places on the Camino, spend time alone and away from medical treatment and breathe in good food, Nature and sunshine. I booked to do an individual retreat at Flores Del Camino.
At almost no notice that retreat was cancelled due to a personal emergency. So I was left with no plans. Or rather my only plan was lunch with Ron and his wife in Astorga. I’m a planner. I like to know what I’m doing weeks in advance. And that is part of pilgrimage for me, letting go of that… being in the flow. That too has been a gift and a challenge in my cancer journey, when I’m present in the present I’m usually ok even if I’m doing side effects or fatigue.
I stayed a day in El Acebo, a couple of days in Las Herrias and a couple in Monforte de Lemos on the Invierno route. In each of those places I ate meals with peligrinos walking the Camino. The acceptance and camaraderie was incredible. That too is part of pilgrimage for me. The intense sharing especially combined with walking alone. In my cancer pilgrimage I’ve been blessed with an amazing group of women all of whom are fellow cancer patients. Sometimes cancer can feel a lonely path but not with my hope squad…
Finally I love the simplicity of life on the Camino. You don’t need a lot of stuff: you get up walk, eat, wash, repeat. And on my cancer journey, I’ve had to massively simplify what was a stressful and messy life. Letting go of my job which was something that I thought defined me was strangely simple in the light of my diagnosis.
So visiting Spain has reminded me that I’m still on pilgrimage. That rather than see cancer as a battle I can see it as a pilgrimage to myself and to God…
Karen Kelly CEBC.
Thank you for sharing, Karen! There are so many life lessons in your blog post, but I guess the greatest one for me is to be thankful each day for this wonderful gift of life and to remember the importance of being present in the moment. So beautifully written…so full of wisdom! God’s blessings on you!
Wow Karen, thank you for the vividness of your blog post and for sharing your life. Much admiration! I hope to walk a camino someday but it is also good to be reminded of being present in the day to day.
What a beautiful post, Karen. Thank you for sharing your journey. Your gratitude in the midst of hardship will carry you far. Letting go of your job and finding out it didn’t define you after all – a lesson for all of us.
When I walked the Camino in 2013, I came home with a strong desire to simplify my life. Your posting is inspiration to keep moving in this direction.
Take good care of yourself. Joy
Hello Karen, I’m one of Phil’s neighbors here on Vashon Island. Thank you for your story, and your learnings.
Bless you a thousand times, and I hope one day you can travel here to Phil’s Camino and our beautiful island.
You are always welcome.
With warmest wishes and prayers,
Dana
Dear Karen,
Yes to simplifying life! Thank you for the reminder!
And Yes to sharing the Camino (and life) with others close, a bit away, and far away… it enriches life so much…
Simple loves,
Cris (CSABC)
It is a blessing to us to read your message. Even those of us who have walked a pilgrimage and learned those lessons are fortified by hearing again that what they sensed is true.
We hope to see you again,
Ronaldo, ABC
Thanks, you lovely people. I find this community so healing and inspiring. Felipe, so mucho gracias to you. Going to see about making the Veranda next year. The challenge is travel insurance…. or maybe we can do a European mini Veranda on the Camino and reach out to others in Europe. We could even dial into you by Skype….
Good to have you on board Karen. Let’s have a great year. Felipé.x