Day 4

I can't really describe what an incredible experience this is on so many levels. The scenery is some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. The camraidery among the pilgrims is even better then I expected. The Spanish people are very patient with my few words of Spanish.  It is harder physically than I anticipated, though. Imagine walking up the steepest hill you have ever walked up & keep going up for 1/2 an hour. Then you go down the same steepness, in the rain on slippery rocks & mud. I actually began to enjoy the walking on Saturday. It began to sink in where I was & what I was doing & how blessed I am. Saturday was my 66th birthday & what a way to celebrate! I went to dinner with a wonderful family: the mom is my age & her three daughters are about the same age as my children.  We spent the last 4 days traveling the same distances so kept running into each other. One thing came to mind the first few days as my feet & knees & legs were screaming at me to stop: Paul's passage from Romans 5:3-5. "Suffering produces endurance & endurance produces character & character & produces hope" & hope  brings us closer to God. Even though my suffering is self inflicted it was comforting. Buen Camino.