I have a pile of books here on the coffee table next to me. Actually a pile would be a big compliment, more like a sprawl. I just noticed the similarities in the covers of two books that happened to have wound up next to each other. One is Our Catherine’s Finding Mercy in this World and Mioara Grigore’s Cancer, My Love. And this has happened before with Catherine’s book and another so it is grabbing my interest. All three have a landscape with the trail going off into the distance. Each a little different but have something important in common. We recognize and respond.

There was some great comments yesterday, weren’t there? You guys are all awake and willing! I’m happy. Geez, we could spring board in so many directions. But what I am seeing first is what Cris said about we all needing each other. Yes, for sure. And just the same there are times when as Jessika pointed out where we need to work on our interior stuff. Not in a way to escape from being together but to clarify our vision, so to speak, so we can come back stronger.

I feel like I am turning from the Tom Sawyer to the Henry David Thoreau of the Camino. I spend years now cheerleading and hopefully getting people excited about walking the main Camino in Spain and then now to moving to alternatives to alleviate the crowding. The Camino is suffering from it’s own success. But it is all wonderful really, so many attracted.

But we are starting to see alternatives appearing where the same lessons my be available or other valuable lessons my be had. And maybe some of these walks are close by and don’t require jet fuel. Maybe we don’t have the time, money or health to pull off a far away extended trip but can prosper from something close by just the same.

Close by loves, Felipe.