Saturday, September 17, 2016

Camino moments....








As the days wear on and pilgrim feet fight to maneuver another stretch of cobblestone pathway….As the skies split open against the force of torrents of rain bursting to be set free…
As 6.5 more kilometres until the next stop  becomes 10.2…..bodies and emotions falter under the weight of a questioning mind:  Why am I doing this?

And then there are the brief moments of awe that remind us of our ‘why’ - hold on to these for they will bring you through fellow pilgrim.

...tinkling bells in the distance calling us to peek over a rock wall and have a chat with the cows grazing in their field

… clang….clang….clang….. Church bells strike while walking through a ghost village

… a hearty ‘Buen Camino’ rings out as a cycling pilgrim pulls ahead on the path

… evening vespers sung by nuns in candlelit churches, as they have for a thousand years

… joyous laughter as reuniting pilgrims embrace after several days apart

… a cafe con leche 1 ½ hours after beginning the day’s walk

… the farmer gifting fresh grapes from his harvest as we pass

… quiet moments when all of time and space become one with the soul

… spiderwebs of morning dew glittering across an open corn field

… children giggling as they yell “ Hello!” - practicing their English

… falling into bed alongside other weary souls with no cares other than sleep

… simple meals, prepared with love by volunteer albergue staff  here only to serve the pilgrim   on his way

…  meseta sunrises blazing tangerine streaks across vast skies

…  the Milky Way, stretched for miles, beneath  the Iberian heavens

And this, the setting of the sun as the day closes….these wonders of man and God are the ‘why’ we go on...these moments are the gifts of the Camino.





No comments:

Post a Comment