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It took the trip to Lourdes to put some perspective on my four year report on things Camino.  Yea, May “something” was our anniversary.  Remember that we have been working with the idea and the energy of “When you get to Santiago your Camino actually begins.”  The “what does that mean” has been propelling us along for a long time now.

I was so conditioned to thinking in a Camino way that it was a stretch for me to encompass the new ideas coming in from Lourdes.  I had to make room for them and more are coming in daily.  The best way that I have to explain the situation is to say that I have been reporting on roller derby so long now that switching over to consider opera has been a challenge!

Camino pilgrimage is maybe something very horizontal.  It stretches on for 500 miles or more and it is continuously in motion.  I see that and feel that in my bones.  There are regular times of rest but only for the purpose of recharging for the next stage.  It is immensely restless.  I remember thinking of it as a river when I was walking especially the last 100 km where it was so crowded and the river seemed to be overflowing it’s banks.

But by contrast the stay at Lourdes revolves around the Domain.  The Domain is the grounds or sacred territory of the city of Lourdes.  There is no commercial enterprise inside it’s gates.  All the hotels, restaurants and gift shops are outside.  The very center of the Domain is the Grotto where Mother’s Mary appeared to Bernadette.  So everything there is centered around activities inside those gates which is maybe a quarter square mile, that’s it.  So it is not horizontal by any measure.

So then is it vertical?  It sort of must be.  The river that runs through the Domain and right by the Grotto is a great foil to this.   It is the epitome of restlessness in it’s springtime rush to the sea.  I found myself greatly attracted to it while we were there.  Maybe I subconsciously related to it like that while I was puzzling over the rest of what was going on around me.

But I am worn out for now.  Let me see what comes forth overnight.  Ideas always seem to appear when we need them so we will have faith.  Thanks for stopping by today,  your presence is always appreciated.  Lourdes loves, Felipe.