Having dinner at a lovely place with some lovely people and I talked them into saying a few few words about their day:
Mary from New Zealand here: We met these two crazy guys Kelly and Phil last night at the pilgrim’s meal at the albergue in Rabe de las Calzadas and they have followed us all day today. It’s been a good day however, the scenery has been beautiful and the weather much cooler. What more could one ask for. And after a good night’s rest we will begin the walking all over again. It’s an amazing community of people walking this Camino with us. Go well, all you pilgrims, whatever your reason is for subjecting yourself to this experience. We are like one big happy family.
Clara reminded me of something today and I thought that I would pass it on. They say that your Camino begins when you get to Santiago, meaning the real challenge is returning to your life and applying what you have learned. Ah, what will that look like? OK, have go and prepare for tomorrow, Phil.
What will it be like when you return? Good question to ponder, huh? Made me think, as your posts always do. I now wonder, isn’t that a question we might well ask ourselves every day, everywhere, even in the midst of the mundane? You know, the Camino is its own kind of special– a time set aside to purposely BE special.
I confess an envy of your chance to be there.
But your question put a new slant on things. We all want to be mindful of the specialness of every day, every place, every person. Maybe if we were to ask your question at the end of every day, what it’s like now that we’re back from whatever, whoever, whenever we have been to that day, maybe it would build a habit of knowing that we’ve encountered special, meaningful, soul-changing experiences each day– and become more attuned to notice them as time goes on and we ask the question every day, “what’s it like now that I’m back”– or “what’s it going to be like when I get back– how has today made things have more meaning, shown me something of the sacred?” You know, take the Caminohead mind with us, every day…
Just sayin.
Steve, It’s all good here even the bad. Thanks for following us. Phil.