Easter night, April 20, 2014

After almost two years of planning I leave tomorrow for Spain. Most people have asked me in one way or another: why? Why are you doing this? There are two reasons why I am embarking on this Pilgrimage called the Camino de Santiago.

First, there is the spiritual aspect. One of the most spiritually inspiring and restful experiences I have had in a long time was the Five Day Spiritual Academy two years ago. The daily schedule of prayer and silence and resting in God was incredible. Barbara Rupp in her book about walking the Camino—Walking in a Relaxed Manner—talks about the gift of living in the Now. Living in the moment is nearly impossible to do in our busy, stressful lives filled with great responsibilities and petty minutia. The Camino gives you time to think. Christian pilgrimage has been an important spiritual practice for almost 1800 years. It isn’t just the destination but it is the journey that is important. Traveling as a pilgrim means leaving behind the familiar, being open to the hospitality of others and allowing oneself to be vulnerable.  It is about finding God when we least expect it.  As Teresa of Avila says, “You find God in yourself, and you find yourself in God.”

The second reason is the sense of adventure and a love of the outdoors. I first heard about the Camino de Santiago around 7 years ago when a pastor announced she was going on this journey. It stirred up in me a longing that has been with me as long as I can remember. As a child I spent many, many hours ‘exploring’ the woods where I lived in RI. I followed the power lines—or pole lines as we called them—for hours. I followed brooks to their source and to their end. I loved to lie on the dry brown grass on a hillside, feeling the warmth of the sun and listening to the wind in the pine trees. The smells and sounds and tastes of adventure lure me to this journey.

This is what calls me to the Camino.  

I pray that my body will toughen up and adjust to carrying a pack. I have trained but not enough. I’m trying not to anticipate or have expectations but to just experience each moment as it comes. Buen Camino.