The sky is looking incredible.  The barometer is up and we have one good day of weather.  I’ll take it.  Tomorrow it is supposed to be back to rain again.  I have to mow like the wind today to catch up to the grass around here.  The Camino trail will get attention.

Well, yesterday it was about 3:30 and I was thinking that I pretty much had a wrap on the day.  The landline phone rings which has been infested with junk calls lately and I am tempte

d to disregard it.  But I do look and it is a number but no name but it is a Vashon number so I answer.  It was a good friend from church and walking who wants me to take her to the nearest emergency room.  You drop everything and go, right?  This is your Camino right here right now.  Just because you didn’t see it coming becomes unimportant.

We we’re so synchronized that we just drove right on board the next ferry to Tacoma without a wait.  So, in the end it all worked out.  It was a panic over pains but the tests came up good.  So a referral was generated to see a specialist and we were on our way for late evening teriyaki.  Back on a late ferry and all is well.

Just a reminder to me how our well thought out and sacred schedules are sort of made to be broken like rules.  If your fellow pilgrim needs help that is what you do right then.  You don’t call back later and say that you have a slot next Tuesday.  Well, and I was kind of honored that I was chosen for the task also.

OK, sort of life as it happens around here.  That’s the report for today.  All good.  Have a great weekend, love, Felipe.

What the heck does that mean Felipe?  Well, last night I was watching a sports interview show, Joe Buck’s ” Undeniable”.   He was interviewing Abby Wambach, women’s soccer star.  At one point in the show she was relating the time when as a result of a talk with a trusted coach she dedicated her life to soccer.  She didn’t put it that way. She talked about it as making her love of soccer a lifestyle.  Hmm.

Out of coffee, be back.  OoK, love my new Mr Coffee by the way.  Oh, I have a walk in 40 minutes, back to it…

Anyway, to the topic.  So, what is it that is grabbing me with Abby’s story?  Maybe it is the idea that there is another level with our interest in pilgrimage.  Can one have a live style of a pilgrim?  What would that look like?  Do you have to walk to have it?  What if you are too old or gimped up to actually walk.  It is a quest anyway, something with deeper levels than the physical walking.

Yea, we got more questions than answers.  Something to ponder I suppose.  But I know that this whole idea of pilgrimage in the largest sense which we are dealing with is something amazing.  My mind is jumping back to the book “Pilgrim’s Progress” which closely matches the ideas in this conversation.  It was a major book in the Western world, read second most to the Bible.  It is kind of out of vogue now.  Maybe I need to reread it.

OK sports fans, time to find my boots and logbook and get walking.  Hoping that Commando Bill will show up.  I think that he has to be at the hospital later today but maybe he can squeeze it in.   You come by when you get a chance too.

Ok, love as a lifestyle, Felipe.

Well, it is just one of those days when it is a challenge to focus.  The old brain flitting around like it has nothing better to do.  Geez, what does it take to calm down.  Maybe could blame it on the planets or something.

Those were a nice couple articles about pilgrimage in Scotland and England.  I was searching for a third article but now I think that there was only two.  Anyway, it is nice to see routes opening up to give people more opportunities and opportunities closer to home.  Maybe this will take some of the pressure off major routes like the Camino Frances.  And maybe this will bring some income to the country places that always seem staved for cash.

There was an article not long ago in Backpacker magazine about opening up trails in the West Bank.  People were retracing certain journeys in Old Testament history.  It is all very new and a little iffy but moving forward.

Maybe if you hear of something of interest along these lines you could put a link in the comments and we could chat it up.  It would be good to encourage this sort of thing and especially if they are in our own backyard.  Wait there is one in my backyard!  Hehe.

I am going down to walk in a Camino in California in July sponsored by the Santiago de Compostela Catholic Church in Forest Park.  It is a one day deal, I forget the exact date.  We will have more as it gets closer.  More opportunities for us.

On person that I am anxious to meet there at this event is Edie Littlefield Sundby who just brought a book called Mission Walker.  She had big time health challenges and decided to walk the Camino Real all the way up California.  This is the trail that connected the missions.  Hopefully at some point I can get her to write a little bit on her experience for Caminoheads blog.  She will be book touring, join her somewhere.

Yea, it’s all Camino if you can get Camino feelings, or experience or friendship from it.  Right?  Blisters are not enough.  Mileage is not enough.  But it has to be that transformative thing.  That’s what we are looking for gang, that transformative thing.

OK, off I go.  Have a list of things to do that is making me anxious.  Calm down Felipe and tackle them one at a time.  It will come together.

Talk to you tomorrow.  Chat it up, love, Felipe.

Our trusty Mr Coffee finally brewed it’s last cup of Joe and gave up it’s last puff of steam.     Made it to town for a brew and another machine earlier.  So, things are back to normal here at the ranch, cafe con leche abounds.   Time to check into the blog here and mess around.

Yesterday we were talking about pilgrimage in Scotland.  And today there is more material if I can find it.  Seems that one newspaper article spawned another on this topic.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/15/modern-pilgrims-retracing-britain-ancient-routes-christians-atheists#img-1

Yes, this one is more about pilgrimage in England but it is basically the same idea.  Why is pilgrimage, an ancient custom, so appealing to us moderns?  What is it giving us that we aren’t getting elsewhere?  How do we create more?  How can I take in more?  Questions I have anyway.

Somehow I think there is another current article that is related to this.  If anyone can come up with that link I would appreciate if you could get it to me.  We want to check it out and talk it over.

All good all the time.  Such a gorgeous day outside, I have to bail on you.  You have what it takes.  Make it happen for yourself and those around you.  Pilgrim loves, Felipe.x

A few days ago our lovely art historian Catalina sent in this article and it piqued my interest.  I have seen indifference and ignorance of the process and the power of pilgrimage.  Always it seemed a more or less passive activity.  Even that seems amazing since we at Caminoheads consider pilgrimage up there with sliced bread.  But the word hostility came up.  What?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/13/church-scotland-asked-reverse-centuries-hostility-pilgrimages/?WT.mc_id=tmg_share_em

They are seeing the light there in Scotland.  With all the interest in pilgrimage worldwide it seems it is finally coming up on radar.  What is this phenomenon and why is it appealing when interest in churchy church seems at an all time low.  Something is going on.

Speaking of pilgrimage we have a walk here in a few moments.  Phil’s Camino, maybe the world’s smallest pilgrimage, is a going concern.  Time to find my rubber boots and logbook.  The trail is still wet but the grass is starting to grow and trees are blooming.  Come and walk with me when you get a chance.  Love on the move, Felipe.

Happy Easter hither and yon!  It is a beautiful morning here.  Hope that is the case where you are.

In a moment I will be searching around for my Easter tie.  There is one that always reminds me of this morning.  Catherine and I off to Mass at 1000.   Then at 1600 we have a walk.  Then I got an invite to Catherine and Dana’s for tapas and lamb dinner.

Cris from Buenos Aires sent a Easter greeting for us.  Thanks Cris, Happy Easter!

“We don’t realize all the good we can do. A kind, encouraging word or helping hand can bring many a person through dark valleys in their lives. We weren’t put here to make money or to acquire status or reputation. We were sent here to search for the light of Easter in our hearts, and when we find it we are meant to give it away generously.”
John O’Donohue ~ Dawn Mass Reflections at Corcomroe Abbey

Find it, hold on to it, share it.  Immense loves, Felipe.

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It is such an odd quite moment.  We just relived the most horrendous day possible and now just a deafening lull, waiting for the promise of tomorrow.  We just are left to stew in our own juices without any outside influence, sort of back burnered.

Just got back from my Bible Guys class.  We did some learning, some laughing.  It is a good time for all of us.  Last week I did the lesson and did the first half of chapter 9 0f Acts.  This was the dramatic conversion of Saul (Paul) on the road to Damascus.  Philip took over for me and did the second half today which was mostly about Paul now being persecuted for his new beliefs.  The tables have turned.

Anyway, we laugh a lot in between trying to figure stuff out.  Which seems like a pretty good balance.  We can only handle so much learning and then we have to enjoy each other or maybe experience each other.  It is kind of like this Saturday between things where we just have to ruminate, goof off or soak up.  There is only so much good or bad the we can handle so we have to switch modes to keep our human thing going.

Well, I am going to get out in the sunshine, it’s calling me.  Looking to warm up my bones.  Miss you, love you, Felipe.

It’s Good Friday and I feel my usual Good Friday slightly off center experience.  It is a day to not do things that involve power tools or other sharp stuff.  I am distracted is the best way to put it maybe.  Although maybe another way to look at it would be to say that I am distracted all the other 364 days of the year.  This day I am actually doing what I am supposed to be doing.  Post Camino thinking right there.

At the hospital for a few hours.  I dropped My Rebecca off at the airport on the way.  She is off to Amherst MA to see our daughter and her family.  She had this giant check in rollie bag with about fifty pounds of gifts for the grandson.  What a Grandma!

I saw an eagle flying during my travels earlier, a hopeful sign for Felipe.  And the computers were down at the treatment center and I walked in and they started working. So, you see.  Maybe that’s all connected, right?  Remember quantum entanglement from yesterday.

Speaking of quantum entanglements I had my meeting with my guardian angel yesterday.  This is a most interesting phenomenon.  There was a lot of information which came across  in the process and that was all pretty other worldly.  And what did you expect Felipe since you were dealing with angels.  I am pretty overwhelmed by all that and I really want to process it before I get to talking about it too much.

But, I would say that I learned a lot and it opened my mind to thinking in that direction. I know there is a whole realm of angels and angel activity but never really thought about it too much since it seemed isolated or separated from my life.  But I now don’t think that is true.  It may be that there is a whole lot more involvement than I had thought.   It is all so heady and I am as I said still processing the whole thing.  It is better if I keep these new cards close to my chest for the time being.  Maybe I could say that it gives me a lot to consider and contemplate.

I am going to try and get back to church this after noon and do something that I haven’t done before and that is the Stations of the Cross.  Catherine will be there to guide me.  The weather is iffy at best.  There is a Mariner’s baseball game tonight in Seattle and the temperature is predicted to be 51 degrees to start and then down into the forties as the game gets going.  Are we calling that spring?

OK, time to go.  Have a meaningful Good Friday.  You’re the best, love, Felipe.

Stretched out on the red leather couch at Raven Ranch with an hour to talk with you.  Yesterday I was at the hospital most of the day and then it rained all evening and night.  But it is beautiful right now.  Catherine came to walk with me this morning which I was glad of.  Sometimes the morning walks can be lonely.  She is going to be back here for the FaceTime with Cris in Buenos Aires this afternoon.   This is going to be a good connection I know.

Then at 1130 I have a teleconference with Kathy, a friend from Dubuque, and her friend.  The purpose of that is for me to meet my guardian angel.  I know it sounds way out there but it could open up a lot for me and I am going with it.  There doesn’t seem to be any coincidence anymore.  This is what is on Phil’s Camino today and we are going to make the most of it.  I will try and tell you about it tomorrow.

I put that so matter of factly but am totally nervous on the inside.  Really, could this really happen?  I am blessed that I have all these wonderful friends that want me to learn things.    I feel like I need a boost to get me to the next level and this could be a key component.

Then tonight Catherine has talked me into coming to Mass.  Father David is going to do foot washing and Anointing With Oil.  Foot washing is something that I have participated in before with Father Marc.  I may do it tonight if they need bodies.  People tend to be shy.  Then Anointing with Oil is an official sacrament of the Church which used to be called The Last Rights but now they give it to folks that have medical challenges as well, guys like Felipe.

Oh, I was going to give you a paragraph from Richard Rohr’s Divine Dance:

“I warn you, though, that when your calculating mind moves into place, you’ll hear yourself appraising these profound moments of judgement: “Oh that’s just a coincidence.”  “That’s merely an accident.”  “It just happened.”  Or, “Blast, why did that happen?”  Or even, “I wish I could change it.”  Inside the Trinitarian life, you will begin to enjoy what some physicists now call “quantum entanglement” and what others call synchronicity, coincidence and accident.”

Quantum entanglement love, Felipe.  (hehe!)

There was a quote in my Richard Rohr’s book “Divine Dance” that caught my attention.  It was, “It’s why you begin to find yourself smiling at things for no apparent reason.”   Wait, why, why what?    Here is the whole paragraph:

“And  remember, if it is not flowing out of you, it’s probably because you’re not allowing it to flow toward you.   And love can flow toward you in every moment: through the image of a flower, in a grain of sand, in a wisp of cloud, in any one person whom you allow to delight you.  It’s why you begin to find yourself smiling at things for no apparent reason.”

Yea, OK, that sounds like something that is worth cultivating.  I do find myself more able to be in a good mood despite the surroundings, despite the climate, despite the situation.  Really they can be quite independent of one another.

We are learning so much hanging around the Camino.   I have never in my life had a comparable time of so much personal growth.  It’s all quite amazing really.

Well, maybe I’ll quit while I am ahead today.  Have some work to accomplish while I am in the comfy chair.  Take care, see you soon hopefully, love, Felipe.