A different kind of post 🌿I was on vacation during September..
Added 2024-11-02 13:43:41 +0000 UTCA different kind of post 🌿
I was on vacation during September and October but it wasn't a typical holiday. Finally, I had an opportunity (basically enough time in my life) to fulfill my dream which I have had for the past 10 years: I made the pilgrimage from France to Santiago de Compostela. During 30 days I crossed the Pyrenees and walked through Spain, a total of 779 km.
Walking alone was quite meditative; sometimes in complete darkness, for hours. The hard part was my feet which started to protest after one week and kept getting blisters for the rest of the time. Sometimes the pain was unbearable, but the only thing I could do was keep going, slowly proceeding to the next destination. Some days I walked only 15 km, some others over 40 km. I could never tell in advance which days would be easy and which would end up hard. I just took everything as it was when it unraveled in front of me.
On Camino, you are never alone, even if you go there alone. There are other pilgrims and you will meet so many people around the world. Everyone has their reasons for the walk but you are all there together. You share the joy, tiredness, pain, despair, hope, and success. You might learn something on the way or not. Everyone's Camino is different. Everyone's Camino is right for them.
It is said that when a pilgrim reaches Santiago, all his sins are forgiven. I am more of a spiritual person than a religious one but there was something transcendent in the whole experience. I think I had a couple of profound revelations about myself and my life for which I am grateful. There, walking in the middle of northern Spain, I could free myself from my daily life and listen to the silence. As they say: sometimes you need to go far to see close.
I will forever cherish this experience 🌄
