(photo P Volker)
Something very synchronistic happened yesterday that made my day only it was early and it got lost in the shuffle of all the drama. I need to recount it because it was at least as important as all the hospital junk, no more.
I got up yesterday at 0430 to make the trip to the Hospital for my 0800 appointment for the biopsy. All very important. And the Hospital is not just the Hospital anymore since the Covid and even more so just now because of the Governor’s latest tightening. The facility is all compartmentalized like a ship ready for battle. There are locked doors and blocked hallways and you can only get places by going through the right checkpoints for screening. At one point I set off any alarm and then I got busted for not being screened, geez!
Anyway that is on top of my own years of fears of the whole situation. I know that I have written about how it is the hardest thing in the world is just to go through the door from the parking lot to the Treatment Center. One second you are independent and free and you go through a door and next you are willingly getting poisoned.
And that is where I was yesterday poised to open that door when I caught a glimpse of a woman coming up behind me. So, I pushed the door open extra wide so she would have room to pass behind me at a good distance. And as she goes by she reads the patch on my daypack. She yells, “Phil’s Camino!”.
And she had seen the documentary and her parents had walked the Camino five times. And she wanted to take a selfie with me. And I said go to my blog Caminoheads and comment and I will pick up your email address and we can communicate. And we both ran on, she into an elevator and me around a corner and I yelled back, “You are making my morning!”.
so sometimes you get lucky loves, Felipé.
I love those moments of synchronicity and connection. Maybe you’ll run into her again on the trail, maybe not. Maybe you’ll meet in Santiago, maybe not. This encounter was enough. It’s living the Camino, man, and you made her day, too. You both walked away feeling buoyed up, smiling–a blessing on your day.
Selfie celebrity love to you,
Henriette Anne
Henriette ~ you hit the old nail on the head. The future doesn’t matter. It is important that we had that moment! Felipé.x
We just can’t help ourselves. Love this story.
Esther ~ well put! The old “we can’t help ourselves” strikes again! And at my nemesis, the hardest door. Miss you, Felipé.x
Yes, Becky!!!! Please comment!!!!!
And thank you for making my boss’s day!!! I have a couple tears going down my cheeks right now, because yesterday I would have loved to be with Phil at the institute… but there you were on my behalf!!!
Thank you so much from a distant Buenos Aires, 🇦🇷 Argentina!
Cris
This is the best Phil. I call it the Tapestry. All the different threads in our existence and how different the picture would be “without” each encounter. The very BEST of life !!
Love and miss uou!
Hey Bonnie ~ yes, the Tapestry, perfect analogy. And my day Wednesday was so full of
“important” medical stuff but simultaneously there was this other thing going on. Thanks for being here. Felipé.x
Phil!
I am here and sorry for the delayed response! Meeting you Wednesday was such a treasured moment! I sent our selfie to my family text thread knowing they would freak out. And they sure did. I recounted our encounter and my shock when you answered my surprised holler ‘Phil’s Camino?!’ With ‘yes, I’m Phil’. I told them I had a speechless moment with so many questions and topics to cover, as anyone who has walked the Camino can relate to. Alas, our respective 8am appointments saved me from embarrassing myself too much, but am thankful you obliged me with a selfie!
My folks have walked the camino a number of times, I was privileged to join them for 2 weeks in October 2016. It is an experience like no other, to say the least.
My folks were staying with me after a recent surgery and they brought your video to watch during their visit. What an honor and encouragement to know your story! Thank you for sharing and continuing your Camino with such grace.
We had contemplated going to Vashon for a ‘get out of the city’ drive. It is still on our list!
That Wednesday morning, I’m thankful I followed by dad’s rule/encouragement to talk to strangers.
Becky ~ hello, hi, how are you?! So glad I guessed at the right spelling of your name. But a small thing compared to the turmoil that we have caused in our blog world. This is what happens when you talk to strangers. There are four comments that came in today that you are welcome to read as comments are open game around here. There is one from the Seattle area, one from CA, one from AZ and one from Buenos Aires.
But you are here and we welcome you to stay. We have a neighborhood going which I think that you could get used to. And your folks too. I would love to hear your story. And the trail here on Vashon is open in a Covid sort of way. I will give you info in an email.
So we are big here on the belief that when you get to Santiago your Camino begins. So, here we are still walking. Buen Camino Becky, Felipé.x
That’s a great example of “being in the right place at the right time” AND being in the moment, the place where one is often able to harvest wonderful blessings. I realize now how many of us travel the life journey focused on things other than where we are and miss out on goodness.
Yes Becky, please tell us your story about that moment passing through that unique checkpoint created for you and Phil.
Ronaldo ~ at a crazy place, on a crazy day, in these crazy times, good stuff still happens. So thankful for some perspective on this. Thanks for helping me out by being close. Blessings to you and Anne. Felipé.