BLESSED ARE YOU PILGRIM, IF YOUR KNAPSACK IS EMPTYING OF THINGS AND YOUR HEART DOES NOT KNOW WHERE TO HANG UP SO MANY FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS.

Yes, yes and yes. Tears of joy are rolling done my cheeks right now. And if I had to pick one of these Beatitudes as the one that spoke to me the most, this would be the one. This right here was the big realization for me. This is so seriously true that …

The things that you carry from the beginning of the trail in France at some point start to became more of a hindrance than a help. I mean the total weight and you start seriously looking at your gear daily to cull stuff out. You learn that there is a price to pay for your being attached to these things. Your body pays and then that starts working on your mind and it starts paying and then your spirit starts to pay finally if you let it get that far.

Right, you need some of that stuff to maintain yourself. Yea, but which stuff and how much of it? The more I can jettison the more I will be able to do and see and participate in the next day is my evolving thinking. And isn’t the doing, seeing and participating in what I am here for anyway and why I paid thousands of dollars, speaking of paying. Are we supposed to be beasts of burden?

And the more you can lighten your load the more that you can participate and therefore take in. Maybe lightening will allow you to take that side trip where you will… Maybe the lightening will let you be awake and aware enough to catch someone’s eye. That is the someone who will carry your pack or doctor your feet or have that little bit of information or have that really big bit of information that you have been looking and hoping for for quite a while now (read Sherif’s words in the comments of the last few days).

Anything could happen around the next corner and usually does. It is said that the Camino is full of surprises and you start looking for surprises. Yes, people and places that will speak to you. And sunsets and moonrises, little snails and giant fields of sunflowers, thirst and refreshment, pain and smiles, crowds and emptiness, hellos and good byes. You will become open and looking to see what will happen next.

If you are ready like this you will start too collect the most amazing experiences and memories. Your pack is becoming lighter and your heart is filling with what you had been hoping for long before you had ever heard of this walk. My thoughts today and praise the Lord. Love, Phil.