A Face Book friend Janet from Indianapolis posted a story about a time in Spain when synchronicity struck big time. One shakes one’s head when hearing of something from someone else and it seems wonderful and intriguing. But when it actually happens to you it seems supernatural, sort of a step above. I think that the difference is that when it gets personal it is real in a lot of dimensions and records itself in more than one of our senses. Not that one one story is better than another or mine is better than yours.

Janet was lost in a Spanish city as she looks for the home of a friend. She ducked into an Internet cafe to just find a seat and get her bearings. What to do?! And at that moment the friend walks in like that is all the normal way you do things. I can so relate to this because I have a lot of dreams like this where I am lost or late and someone bails me out to my surprise and delight.

My story also happens in Spain. I arrived in Santiago with my friend Rick and his daughter Maryka in the morning. We got our diplomas at the pilgrim office. They were impressed that I had a official letter in Spanish from my home parish in the US saying that I was on official pilgrimage. I was so kosher! We went to the cathedral, went to Mass and I visited St James twice in the crypt. That was extremely moving.

But due to my abbreviated schedule I had these few hours and was flying out early the following morning from Santiago to Madrid to make my connection to NYC. That last evening we probably as a group celebrated. But the most important thing that happened was that I met this other American pilgrim who was also flying out the next morning back to the US. We had a good conversation and thought that that was the end of it. But wait!

The next morning I taxied off to the Santiago airport alone, a fragile pilgrim about to be thrown back into the rough and tumble of the world. My short flight to Madrid went well. But I totally lost my way in the endless Spainishness of the International Airport. Nothing was making sense and I couldn’t find anyone to talk English to help me. Time kept getting shorter and shorter and I could feel the panic coming on. I was terrifically alone in a crowd. I have nightmares like this. Then all of a sudden after rushing, schlepping and sweating I spy this pilgrim that I had met the night before. I ran to him to be saved. He so casually said to me in my native tongue, “Do you see that door?”. ”Walk through it.” I am looking at the door and it is a small white door in a big white wall. Absolutely no signage. I do as told as in the Camino provides and viola there magically is my gate. My absolutely correct gate, it is waiting for me! Are you kidding?!? Camino magic in a rush had hit me. I was going to make my connection! Glorious synchronization!

So, Janet I totally realize the magic of your story! This stuff is so amazing that it really defies explanation. And it all happens so casually like, “What did you think would happen?”

here we go loves, Felipé.