 Months ago my husband Jim and I made the decision to walk the Camino de Santiago, a 487-mile ancient pilgrimage route across northern Spain. EL CAMINO FRANCES  The rain was falling as we took our first step from San Jean Pied de Port, France, and scaled the steep Pyrenees Mountains during an unexpected, treacherous snow storm. We trudged along the same path used by Napoleon when he and his troops invaded Spain over 200 years ago, and 36 days later we arrived in the city of Santiago where Saint James the Apostle's remains are believed to be housed in a magnificent cathedral that marks the end of the trek. LOS PIRINEOS
 We have been asked multiple times why we wanted to walk the camino. For me, I hoped to enjoy an adventurous experience with Jim, learn more about Spain, speak Spanish, bask in the fresh air and sunshine, and grow closer to my husband. In my heart, I also thought that with this sudden change in routine and the busy-ness and demands of life at home, my soul might settle down a bit allowing me to listen to God and hear His gentle whisper in my ears a bit more clearly.  Albergue de Peregrinos de Roncesvalles FLECHAS AMARILLAS Y CONCHASThe iconic yellow arrows and scalloped sea shells guided us along the way, and concrete markers and signs encouraged us with the countdown of kilometers as each step took us closer to Santiago.
VISTASWhat did we do for the roughly six to seven hours walking each day as “pilgrims” you might wonder? Mostly, we reveled in the breathtaking scenery and surroundings, trying to take it all in—the majestic mountains, stunning views, endless yellow fields of rapeseed (used to make canola oil), vast and seemingly enchanted forests, expanding vineyards budding into life with the spring rains, pristine lakes, rushing rivers and bubbling brooks, ancient Roman remains, cobbled roads, bustling cities and quaint towns, and countless churches, cathedrals, statues, monuments, arches, and bridges made of granite.     Running of the Bulls, Pamplona...think Hemingway CREATURASWildlife was similar to what you might see in Kentucky: horses, cattle, deer, sheep, goats, dogs, and cats.  FLORA Y FAUNA And the spring flowers, terraces, courtyards, balconies certainly captured our attention!  EL TIEMPOWe experienced all sorts of spring weather: from drenching rain, snow and bitter cold to gusty winds, scorching sun, and those scattered days of what you might call “perfect weather.” There were dense mists and heavy fogs; clouds that hung low and those that stretched high dotting the blue sky. 
 Hundreds to thousands of people from the likes of Australia, Germany, Taiwan, Canada, Slovenia, Portugal, Brazil, UK, South Africa, Italy, France, and the US were traipsing alongside us or weaving in and out of our journey. Our conversations were lively and light-hearted. Perhaps we will always save a place in our hearts for Agnes, Ruth, Paul and Laura, the Australian family with twin boys and the Taiwanese family with two little ones, for the Basque couple Ramón and Arantxa whom we met early on and for Fadua, Estér from Austria, the Danish couple, and our instant friends Jen and David whom we met in the airport coming home. Jim and I did a lot of praying, a lot of dreaming about the next chapters of our lives, and a lot of listening to music and books, like the New Testament, The Secret Garden, and The Fellowship of the Rings. Walking about 15 miles daily for over a month stressed our bodies to be sure, from shin splints to my ill-fitting backpack causing clavicle wounding and bruising, to feet blisters and a common cold—however, none of these were deal breakers, and gradually our bodies adjusted to the rigor and strain, growing stronger and more resilient with each step. LA COMIDAYou may wonder about the food. Well, we nourished our bodies with a LOT of Spanish tortillas, seasoned pork chops, hearty Galician soup and lentils, fresh oranges from Valencia, mixed salad with tuna, Mediterranean salad with goat cheese, cream-filled pastries called Nepolitanas, Santiago cake made of almonds and eggs, churros con chocolate, delicious café con leche, and bread, bread, bread, and did I say bread? Often we shopped in local markets to purchase groceries, and we used the kitchens in the albergues (budget-friendly shelters designed for pilgrims) to make our own meals or to prepare a quick breakfast. Many cafes, bars, and restaurants offered "menú del peregrino" (the pilgrim's menu) for around 12-18 euros which would include a hearty starter with bread, main course, desert, and wine or water. But diners beware: the siesta is NOT a thing of the past! Hearty lunches were hard to find as the breakfast tortilla (potato/egg dish) spanned the morning through 2 pm; and most kitchens didn't resume service until about 7 pm. Generally, arriving into each town in the afternoon around 1 or 2 pm, we would be exhausted and famished. It was REALLY hard to wait until 7 pm to eat. Plus to go to bed about 9 pm was difficult to do on a full belly. Thankfully, the closer we got to Santiago, the more we could eat a full meal at any time.  A DORMIRThey say that walking the Camino is easy. Getting good sleep is the hard part. I would totally agree! Along the way and most nights, we stayed in albergues. Some of the larger municipal albergues host large dormitory style accommodations where Jim and I shared a bunkbed amidst hundreds of other peregrinos. Occasionally, we stayed in hostels and hotels and enjoyed private rooms with private bathrooms during our journey, especially when we needed a break from all the noise and clamor. The sleeping arrangements might have been my least favorite of the trip, but it certainly reduced our expenses. Once we overnighted in a remodeled chicken coop! (no joke!), and on another night we lodged in palace where Spanish kings and queens resided. We also stayed in several Benedictine convents along the way. The history of some places certainly made the stay intriguing and quite bearable.  DIOS CONTIGOSpain is primarily a Catholic nation, and there were iconic images at nearly every turn to remind us of our Judeo-Christian faith. Along the way, some pilgrims would quip sometimes whimsically, sometimes seriously, "The Camino provides." That saying always pricked my heart a bit because the "Camino" is not a person and certainly cannot provide a darn thing. I understood what folks meant, but I would find myself correcting them at least in my mind saying, "No, no. God is the One who provides. He is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider." It's also interesting to note that the Camino means The Way. And if you are a Christ follower, you know that Jesus is the ONLY Way to a steadfast hope in this life and blessed assurance in eternal life. Not only is Jesus the Way, He is the Truth (John 14:6). And I know you are a pilgrim in life, on a camino marked exclusively for you. But if you do not know Jesus Christ intimately as your Lord and Savior, you may be missing the best friendship and guide of all time and in all history: the Holy Spirit. Pilgrim, you don't need sea shells and yellow arrows to tell you which way to go. You have Emmanuel. 🧡  This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. Jer. 6:16  SUFICIENTETo think that we carried basically everything we "needed" in backpacks is an astounding thought really. Basically, we had one outfit to wear, one to wash, and one to spare. We had our toiletry items, a quick-dry towel, slip on sandals after the walk, a tech kit for recharging our phones, etc., our water bottles, hats, and our sleeping bags and ponchos, plus our credentials and passports. That's about it, and it was certainly enough.  LA CATEDRAL DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
After reaching the outskirts of Santiago, our quest was intensified as we searched for the cathedral where we would receive our last stamp in our credentials booklet and be handed our compostela, the document certifying we completed the Camino and verifying our walking distance. By God's grace and steady hand of provision and guidance, we did it! We went the distance and celebrated by throwing our hats into the air and giving a loud "whoop!" I knew I wanted a picture on Jim's back because he carried me on this trip in more ways than one. Standing in the cathedral plaza felt a bit surreal, like any other dream realized. You can't stop smiling and thinking how what seemed so hard and challenging during suddenly seemed easy and doable on the other side. Though some days felt like an uphill battle, they suddenly morphed into a treasured journey, and the trying parts blurred into sweet and amazing grace when you see the view from the end. Finish lines cannot be the end. They must be the beginning.   We had a few days to spend sightseeing around Santiago, so we bused over to Finisterre and Muxía where the bluest of oceans and white crested waves rolled over our hearts blessing the deepest parts of our souls. We proudly stood at the concrete 0 kilometer marker said to represent the "end of the world." AFLICCIONESAnd lest you think this trip was without, let's say, character refinement, let me tell you that Jim and I had our moments. It took about a week for us to get into a "groove" each day as we unpacked every afternoon and then repacked the next morning. Despite our best efforts, it could take us nearly 90 minutes to get out the door each morning, and this drove me crazy! I thrive on efficiency. Avoiding time-wasting tasks like unpacking and repacking an item that won't be needed until the last day (like our Pickleball Paddock towel or my little red dress which I never wore, by the way, because it was too chilly) was a must in my book. Jim and I are both rather organized and neat people, but losing and then finding our stuff each morning started grating on my nerves. "Where are my glasses?" "Do you have the money pouch?" Where is the foot cream?" "I can't find my earbuds."  Finally, we developed a system of sorts. When we arrived to our albergue each day, Jim would take his shower, and I would make the beds. I hung the sleeping bag covers and empty towel bags on one corner of the bunkbed. I dangled our hats and sunglasses from the second corner of the bunk and our bag of food over another. We draped our bath towels over the side and end of the bunk creating more privacy for the one of us on the bottom--a tiny tent where on a couple of occasions, we snuggled and watched a movie. We squeezed our yellow transport backpack under the bunk after we tied on the transport tag labeled with our next destination and filled with six euros. After the unpacking was complete and all items were in their proper places, I would take a shower. Later, we gathered our dirty clothes and washed them in machines, had them washed, or hand washed them ourselves on sunny days so they could air dry. I lost several items along the way: a super pricey brand new Merino wool t-shirt and a pair of my favorite leggings. We overlooked Jim's personal cell phone at one albergue - the owner called us to tell us they found it wrapped in the bed sheets. At first, we were mortified because we thought we would have to walk 10 miles backwards and then forwards again! Thankfully, they were able to transport the phone to our next stop and we made arrangements to pick it up--that was a bit harrowing. Also, my father was hospitalized not even two weeks into our trip, and I considered returning home if he had to have surgery. This event weighed heavily on our hearts for the remaining month of our trip. You know all the "choose 2 think" stuff I preach, right?! Well, I had to really put that into overdrive on this trip, fighting hard not to give way to anxiety and worry about my loved ones. Jim developed shin splits as well as a distracting and annoying head cold. At one point, I encouraged him to taxi each morning to the next station or stage of our trip. Let's just say he gave me The Look when translated meant, "Over my dead body." At times this trip felt like the lyrics from the song "Side by Side"
 HEARTBEATNot only did God grow us as a husband/wife team on the Camino, He also reminded us of powerful truths, some of which are still in pending mode in my mind, waiting for the total refresh, redirection. To be gone for six weeks weathered my soul a good bit. I missed my family and friends, our routine, and the ease in which we live. My favorite part of returning to Kentucky, minus hugging the necks of those I love and squeezing our pups Rico and Smokey nearly to death, was sinking my face into a plush, clean, absorbent, and luxurious bath towel. What will I do with the fact that we have food in our fridge, clothes on our back, a clean place to sleep, money in the bank, a car, and a house (the qualifications for being in the top 10% of the wealthiest people in the world!)? God has abundantly blessed us - how might we bless others? Now that we have been back home for several weeks, our hearts are brimming with gratitude and nostalgia for such a magical six weeks of our lives. We look at each other and wonder, "Did we really walk the Camino?" We watched the movie called "The Way" recently, and afterward as the credits rolled, I looked over at Jim and somewhat longingly mused, "Do you think we could walk the Camino again?" Without missing a beat, he declared, "Let's try the Portuguese Camino." And just like that, a spark ignited in my emotional tank. Oh, how my pizza-loving husband knows my heartbeat so well! EVERYDAY IS A "BUEN CAMINO" And then I grew quiet and softly smiled. I remembered that every day is Christmas. Every day is Thanksgiving. Every day is Mother's Day and Father's Day. And, yes, everyday is a Good Camino. You don't have to travel far and wide to find the wonder in a sunset or endless fields of yellow flowers. You don't have to jump on a plane to enjoy fine foods. Every single day that you have breath in your lungs and blood running through your veins is a true camino miracle. If you are walking out this life with your Heavenly Father and those you love and hold closely to your heart, you probably are on the very best camino you could ever walk. I'm not saying it's not messy and challenging--it is! You will feel weary and exhausted at times and perhaps even defeated and discouraged. But you get to choose to think. Every day, you can choose to be grateful or critical, blessed or afflicted, thankful or pitiful. Maybe for you it's time to put your boots on, take that first step, make that sharp turn, and set your heart on a pilgrimage laden with more adventures than you could ever begin to imagine. And as the pilgrim greeting goes and as we echoed and uttered hundreds of times on our trip, let me be the first to say to you with a wide grin and sparkling eyes as you grab your walking stick, "Buen camino."  Comments are closed.
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