Dear Caminoheads,

Today I woke up to a grey, cold and rainy Buenos Aires. And a very long to-do list. I am still to figure out what happens during the weekends or the evenings in the work computers, because it is not reasonable that every morning and particularly every Monday morning, the number of emails exceeds what I can take care of in half a day. Imagine the questions and answers: “What do you work on?”, “Me? I work replying emails!” (and the other half of my “working” day, I attend to teleconferences.) Unreal. Some Mondays, by 10 AM, I am ready for a cry and a chocolate bar (a big one! or a giant cookie, as the one Phil’s Rebecca posted using their sweet granddaughter as the “cookie model”!)

But then, I take a moment to breathe and I realize that I am passionate about my job; and in part it is because to me, my job is an endless well of hope. Yes, we do science which may sound like the opposite of hope, but that is why we do what we do: we apply science with the firm belief that we are bringing hope to others.

And what is hope? I realized I needed to go to the dictionary to find a good definition. I went to the Oxford press and New Oxford American dictionary and also to the Real Academia Española for the meaning of the word in Spanish and noted that the definitions are close but not the same. This time, I like the one the Spanish definition best, which says: “It is the state of the heart in which what we wish, presents to us as possible.”

Isn’t that wonderful?

“It is the state of the heart in which what we wish, presents to us as possible.”

It is a failed sentence to say on Monday mornings that “I hope my emails are done by 10 AM” because reality tells me invariably that this wish isn’t possible. Yet, some other things like finding a better treatment for the rare disease I am working on these days, could start with “I hope”, because it is a wish that presents to me as possible.

And this made me think of “The Elders”, this group created by Nelson Mandela when he was 89 years old. I have admired and followed The Elders for many many years now, so have came across Mandela’s vision for this group that was: “The Elders will support courage where there is fear, foster agreement where there is conflict, and inspire hope where there is despair.”  Yet, today, I am reading it as if it would be the first time, because it is the first time I realize that at 89 years of age, Mandela wanted to inspire a state of the heart in which what we wish, presents to us as possible”.

And of course, I am now thinking what is that I hope for.

Hopeful loves,

Cris

*****************************************
Oasis 2021 – 20th to 23rd August, 2021

RSVP to [email protected]

Visiting Phil is an exercise in transportation, and somehow that feels right.  From San Diego, I have to get planes (2), bus, uber, car, ferry then however I get to Raven Ranch.  This is not a complaint, it is a declaration of my love!

My first visit, it was just me.  So glad I came! A lovely time with Phil and Rebecca, and I turned them on to The Chosen.  Watched all of Episode 1 of season 1!

Text provided by Sherie from San Diego, posted by Cris.

If you want to share your thoughts about Phil, Caminoheads blog, Phil’s Camino, or anything, please send your lines to [email protected]

Hugs to all,

Cris (CSABC)

*****************************************
Oasis 2021 – 20th to 23rd August, 2021

RSVP to [email protected]

Dear Caminoheads,

August 20th is coming, and we have to get moving.

The memo from the boss says the Oasis is happening. 

The boss said too that ” Beside physical knowhow we have spiritual, emotional and mental knowhow.”; and added “I’m not just BS’ing you here.” (I think this last line was written to make sure his message is clear :D)

Remember the 2019 Veranda? I do. The morning it was supposed to start, we didn’t have a coffee brewer or chairs. By midday, I was helping William to hang a string of lights from the trees. And by the evening, there was a tapas table full of food and wine, laughters and conversation that made the island vibrate. How did it happen? I don’t know, but if we would realign the letters of the first word of that question and instead of “HOW”, we write “WHO”, I do have an answer for that one. WE MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Last year, on March 23rd, Phil wrote this:

“Last year at about this time plans were starting to be made for the 2019 Veranda. There were a lot of concerns but what made the whole management process easier was my firm belief that the folks coming were pilgrims and “they will figure it out”. In other words the meeting place did not have to be overly engineered. Keep it simple and sort of do-it-yourself. Not only will we figure it out but that is what we love to do. Just basically give us an empty space and a four day weekend and some wine and firewood and we will have a ball!”

For the Oasis this year we are called to put all our pilgrim nature at work. The Oasis 2021 is not like the Veranda 2019… The Oasis is catching us in the middle of a pandemic, travel is coming back but still is slow, some places still are struggling with restrictions (like my own country), and Phil and his family have new challenges (way different than from 2019). But WE CAN DO IT. Aren’t we the ones who crossed a country by walking on foot more than 500 miles, living on a backpack for more than 30 days and sleeping each day in a room full of heavy snorers and smelly walking shoes? We are those. So, if we did all of that, we will make it to the Oasis too.

As for the logistics, the boss appointed the headquarters of the South America Bureau located in Buenos Aires as organizer (to bring some glamour to the event, I suppose); yet, the headquarters here have had to hire local employees in Vashon Island (“hire” and “employees” are glamorous terms too, to be honest with you) who at the same time are negotiating some contracts with third party vendors in the island to get what we need (ok… “negotiating contracts” is also a tiny bit glamorous)… but you get the point, don’t you? We are trying to think on alternatives, maybe getting the meals outside the ranch, maybe getting someone supplying meals to the ranch; maybe spending less time at the ranch and more time doing activities like walks in the island; maybe putting together a list of places to stay including camping sites outside Raven Ranch; and we are also planning some “food for thought and soul”, as at the end of the day, we not only need to nurture our bodies, right?

Everyone is welcome to come. If you missed 2019 Veranda, let me tell you: it was exactly like a day in the Camino: we walked, we talked, we shared, we laughed, we cried, we hugged, we ate.

And we can make the same out of the Oasis 2021. Please come.

Email to [email protected] and I will add you to the list of pilgrims, reply to any question you may have and share any important information that for some reason may not be shared in the blog.

If you are unable to come in person but would love to come in a screen, send an email too. We are flexible. 

Pilgrims Love,

Cris

Annie’s Blog post from Saturday has been on my mind quite a bit this week and judging from all of the comments, it appears it resonated with many of you too. For me she provided some context for a painful time I am going through right now. In early May my Auntie Char, the name I have called her my entire life, suffered a stroke. She is now 88 and also suffered a stroke about 10 years ago. We always knew another one could happen, but I was not prepared for when it happened or how it affected her as her first stroke was relatively mild. Thankfully, her current stroke didn’t really affect her physically, but it did affect her cognitively. Memory recall with names or people and places along with the inability to grasp certain concepts make it challenging for me to help her understand the sudden changes in her life and how the stroke has affected her. I share this because the conversation that Phil and Annie had and Annie shared here has helped me to take the next step in accepting this phase of my aunt’s life. Her life has reached a point like the older wooden fence, worn out, yet mended at least once and repaired many times. As Annie wrote, “There is an acceptance that time is marching on, that forces greater than ourselves are at work, and that we are merely doing our best even though we know that the sun and wind and weather – Mother Nature herself – will have the final word.” Mother nature and time have spoken, and I can continue to rail against it, or I can take the first few steps towards acceptance. 

Annie also spoke of “finding the beauty” and this also reminds me of my Auntie Char. As an artist, her entire life she not only looked for beauty, but she also found ways to add beauty into the lives of others. It could be as simple and bringing in a dried autumn leaf bursting with reds, oranges and yellows, or as complex as watercolor painting capturing the vast landscapes in the rolling green hills of Umbria, Italy, where she taught art for many years. 

When I returned from the Veranda at Raven Ranch back in August of 2018 it was then that I shared with her the short version of Phil’s Camino. She was not only inspired by Phil’s story and the journey he has been on, but she took this inspiration and created the picture above. In her piece she also wanted to include Sture, Phil’s dog, because in her mind he was still walking with Phil in spirit. Auntie Char not only found the beauty in Phil’s Camino, but she was also able to create something beautiful from her inspiration and share it with the rest of us.

Sadly, Mother Nature and time have also affected my aunt’s eyes and she now suffers from Macular Degeneration. Her sight is almost completely gone in her right eye and is fading fast in her left. I also struggle with this because it seems like a cruel twist of fate that as an artist she is losing one of her main ways of expression, her coping mechanism, and how she personally contributes joy and beauty into the world around her.

But now I find myself thinking about the weathered and worn fence. I realize that this may be the latest gusty wind or pounding hailstorm pressing up against my aunt and altering her life once again.  If I can learn to see the beauty in the worn and weathered fence, perhaps I can learn to see the beauty in this current phase of my Auntie Char’s life. Perhaps I can learn to cherish it as much as the wild adventures we shared climbing the ancient, cobblestone streets of Assisi, Italy or the many times we sat together on my patio in Ramona and quietly watched the setting sun as it sunk below the far off horizon.  

Worn Fences and Sunset loves,

Rho Densmore 

SWCBC

To all,

Sorry that I haven’t communicated in a while.  I have been confused.  And time has been short.   But I am OK.  Sort of running at half speed these days.  I’ve been walking one lap instead of three on the trail.  I am in no shape to get a blogpost together.  So the Bureau Chiefs have stepped forward to take over.

Oasis, August 20-23rd.

Miss you, love you,

Felipé.x

Posted by Cris on behalf of Felipé

Dear Caminoheads,

Today is going to be a short and sweet report with news from the ranch and The Boss.

The household is pretty busy at the moment with Phil’s daughter and her family visiting, and Phil’s life long friend Steve-O and Rasmus (the loyal furry four-legged friend) company.

Yesterday afternoon there was a walk at the usual time, so one more lap has been added to the log and rocks have been added to the rock pile.

And today, Phil and Steve-O have been doing some carpentry work at Jim&Jen’s home. I presume that Rasmus went along too, but I am not sure if he did any work. Had I have been him, I would have gone under a tree to hang out with Kodi, the dog of the house they were visiting!

Loving news Loves,

Cris

Dear Caminoheads,

Cris again reporting today on a foggy day from one of the sides of the Rio de la Plata. If I would have gone to my office, where I used to go to work before the pandemic hit, today I wouldn’t have been able to see Uruguay, which is our neighbor country on other side of the river… And I have been missing that view, which I haven’t been able to see since early March 2020, when we were all sent to work from home due to the pandemic.

If you do not know a lot about Uruguay, I would say that it is like Argentina but way more reasonable! Argentinian and Uruguayan people identify themselves as “rioplatenses”, which means we are all born in “the Rio de la Plata”. We speak the same Spanish, we drink mate, we are fond of the music and the dancing of the tango and the milonga, and we share so much that it is crazy that we are divided by the widest river in the world (it is 220 km, equal to 136,7 miles width).

Maybe this is the reason why both Argentinian and Uruguayan people are described as “friendly” and “easy going”, in part I believe, it is because for us, different is seen as a gift of our ancestors as the vast majority of us come from a “melting pot” of Aboriginal people from the different regions of the continent, European immigrants, Africans, and the locals. “Criollo” is a word that describes our true nature, and a “criollo” was the term to describe the mix of a <local> with someone who <wasn’t local>.

Anyway, I could go on and on and on trying to explain more about this, but instead, I would like to suggest to you to spend 15 minutes (yes, I know, it is a lot, but believe me: you will not regret it) and watch to this TED-talk. The one talking is Jorge Drexler, who is a very famous and talented musician (and happens to be also a medical doctor -ENT specialist-) from Uruguay.

*****There are subtitles in English available, just click the “Wheel” icon and select “English subtitles”***** 

Loves from the Rio de la Plata,

Cris

Dear Caminoheads,

Cris reporting today once more. I hope all of you had a nice 4th of July celebration, and today are enjoying a day off work, or off week-days routine, or maybe the leftovers of the barbecue and cake. Or all together.

For me, the important day for the last 12 years has been the day after the 4th of July, which obviously is the 5th!! because it is my youngest nephew’s birthday. This little that is no longer that little, is 12 years old today, and he is as loving and affectionate as hilarious. As I told on Friday, this is the first birthday we aren’t together and the first birthday party I do not organize for him as since April they are living abroad, but thankfully there is Uber eats and PayPal that have allowed me to deliver cookies and pastries and sweets this morning for his birthday breakfast, and thankfully we have FaceTime that allowed me to call him and have a funny chat. Mission accomplished: Happy nephew and happy aunt!!!

So, today, that is all that matters to me. To know that I am still able to be with those I love even when they are not with me. I have quite a bit of training in this matter, and while it hurts, with time I have come to see that it is the price that comes with love. And it is totally worthy to afford it.

Love is all you need, Loves,

Cris

Dear Caminoheads,

Cris reporting again today from the southern latitudes wishing all my American fellow pilgrims and non-pilgrims, known and unknown, a Happy Independence Day.

As weird as it may sound, when I was in what in Argentina is called “escuela secundaria” -Secondary school-, that you attend for a 5 years period, from 13 to 17 years of age, we had to study “World Wide History” (I don’t know if that continues, as this was by now, more than 30 years ago! Sigh!) When as a teenager I wondered why do I needed to know what the 4th of July meant for the United States, or the 14th of July for the French, or what the Apartheid was, but now as an adult, I cannot be more grateful for that education that sounded so useless at the time. 30 years ago, the word “Globalization” wasn’t really in the vocabulary of a 15 years old, and even less the experiences that were awaiting for me in this life, like this one I have today, writing the 4th of July blogpost on behalf of The Boss (aka Phil), who we know is such a brave American.

I have been thinking what to write to honor this moment, and I thought on this piece of the speech that Robert Kennedy gave in South Africa in 1966, that became part of the collection of words that inspire me since I was first offered them in my “World Wide History” class at school 31 years ago. Back then, I didn’t know about the Camino de Santiago; and I could have never imagined that the person who would helped me the most to re-gain my trust in myself and in humankind would be a pilgrim from Cape Town, South Africa, who I met in my first Camino in 2011.

Some believe there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world’s ills. Yet many of the world’s great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man. A young monk began the Protestant reformation, a young general extended an empire from Macedonia to the borders of the earth, and a young woman reclaimed the territory of France. It was a young Italian explorer who discovered the New World, and the thirty-two-year-old Thomas Jefferson who proclaimed that all men are created equal.

These men moved the world, and so can we all. Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.

Sending forth a tiny ripple of hope (and love),

Cris

Mending Fences

I had the great good fortune of spending a couple of days with Phil and one of our conversations seemed not only a good subject for a blog post, but it just seemed oh so Felipe, as well! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Phil explained to me that when you BUILD a fence, you take great care in making sure everything is just perfect, making sure the lines are straight, the size is always the same, and that the measurements are exact. It creates not just a strong fence, but a beautiful one.

Over time, a fence breaks down a bit, and then it is time to REPAIR the fence. In a repair, you do your best to line everything up as carefully as before, but you know that time and sun and wind and weather has taken its toll and you probably won’t ever get those perfectly straight lines again, but you do the best you can.

After some more time goes by, there is more decline, and you probably have to address it again. This is the time that you MEND the fence. You have probably given up on the idea that it will look halfway decent, and that there will be any real beauty to your repair. You just want to get it to hang on a little longer, no matter what it looks like, or how cockeyed it may be. There is an acceptance that time is marching on, that forces greater than ourselves are at work, and that we are merely doing our best even though we know that the sun and wind and weather – Mother Nature herself – will have the final word. It doesn’t have to mean defeat, just an acknowledgement of our place in this universe. The part we have played, the beautiful fence we created, has been enough whether it stands straight or not. We have been in the game. We have played our part. We recognize that this too shall pass but our work has not been in vain.

Perhaps the reason I keep thinking about this is that it takes the rage out of things. If we accept where we are, what phase of fence-building or of life we are in, we can find the beauty. Phil is always finding the beauty. I hope we can too, my pilgrim friends. That is one of our specialties as pilgrims, isn’t it? We can find the beauty even when our feet hurt. We can find the beauty even when we have lost our way. We can find the beauty even when others may have walked on. Find the beauty in every step.

You were all much on my heart as I visited Felipe this week. I hope you felt that you had been brought along as we walked and talked.

Sending find-the-beauty loves.
-Annie