Santiago - the End of One Journey and the Beginning of Another

I have now been in Santiago for 2 days, and feel like I know my way around. And even though I have arrived, the journey continues.

At Mount Gozo, I decided to walk into Santiago on my own without the group. I gave myself permission to do this because several kilometers earlier, Linda had clearly stated that she wanted to walk in by herself. That gave me the opening to really be clear about what I wanted also. I had just thought that of course I would walk in with every one else.

All along we had walked together as a group. By that I mean we would walk together, alone, in different pairs and sometimes trios. Our walk was like a dance. We never knew what the configuration would look like. Sometimes I walked with Vanda, a beautiful 39 year old woman from Toronto of Portuguese descent. She was our translator on the journey, speaking enough Spanish to help us in many situations. Sometimes I walked with Paul, a 50 year old who was challenged with significant blisters for just about every kilometer of the camino. One morning in particular when I walked with him, I was sure to keep his focus on anything but his feet as we walked 4 or 5 kilometers. So I learned all about one of his favorites sports, curling - something I knew nothing about. I now want to find out about it and if it exists in Colorado yet!

I also walked with Wendy, Paul´s wife. I had brought an umbrella on one author´s suggestion. I brought it for Wendy as she was very challenged by the sunshine and intense heat. Her nickname became ¨Mary Poppins¨as she walked kilometer after kilometer with her purple umbrella that she snapped open with a flick of the wrist.

And then there was dear Linda. Linda brought ¨snail¨energy with her to walk the Camino. She had one speed - slow - and she walked at this speed ¨easily, joyfully, lovingly and gracefully.¨ She sang these words up every hill and down every hill and now brings them home with her. I loved my times with Linda. She listened, she shared, she has seen in me my light and my love and has only encouraged me to share it more. What a true gift she is. I feel as though I came on this Camino with this group to get to know her and have her become part of my life.

And then of course, there is Sue, the beautiful leader of our group. She guided us with wisdom, compassion, joy, laughter and trust. And in turn, we came to trust not only ourselves, but also the Camino. The Camino guided us and we trusted it as we were still walking at 8pm with no place to stay. We learned to trust that the Camino would take care of and provide for us...and it did, every step of the way.

We also experienced the art of ¨brinksmanship¨from Sue - the art of totally trusting that what you need and want to happen - will happen, even when you have no idea how or when. Sue provided us with so many opportunities to experience this first hand. It is a whole other level of living with trust, from trust, in trust. I am so grateful for being with Sue and experiencing who she was with us as we walked the Camino.

The big lesson for me in Santiago has been that even though I chose to walk into Santiago by myself, I was never separate from the group. It may have looked like I separated, and even felt like it. As I walked the long, hot walk through the city into the inner old city where the cathedral is located, I felt sad. I now realize that I felt as though I had separated and done something selfishly. Now, I realize that I followed my true inner impulse and did what was right for me, AND that I was still very much a part of the group. I just happened to walk in by myself. To experience the completion of my Camino with and by myself, only to hook back up with the group at our hotel, Casa Felice, within a few hours.

There is obviously so much to share, and I have barely scratched the surface. I will write some more shortly. Let me take a break and come back. I am at an Internet cafe right near the Cathedral, so after a break I will come back and share more.