Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Day 602 - Reflections, changes and challenges.

My 'pre-camino' walks are taking shape quite nicely. I'm out on the beach every morning and at the moment I am comfortably covering 8 kilometers per day. Some days I walk alone and some days I invite someone along.

What wonderful conversations develop alongside breaking waves as the kilometers just roll away under our feet!

The deep, the funny, the sad and the silly - therapy without a price tag!

I imagine this is pretty much what life on the road in Spain is going to be like but right now that very first step on the road in St Jean Pied de Pod seems light years away! I want to fast forward time - I can't remember when last I have been so drawn to something!

Reading what others who have walked already have to say about their experiences, months after returning to their 'normal' lives, just fuels the fire for me! The following piece was written by pilgrims John and Robin from the USA - a year after they walked the exact route that I will be following in June. They have kindly allowed me to share it here with you.

December 18, 2011

From here to where?


St Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Portland, Oregon

A year ago this past week Robin and I set out from St Mary's on our first pilgrimage down the Camino de Santiago from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela, and then on to Finisterre, and Muxia. Much has transpired since that pilgrimage. It is hard to categorize all the changes, but there are plenty. On the strictly physical side we are now almost always walking. Daily walks of 5 to 10 miles are now the norm. On the spiritual side the benefit of the time spent in reflection and contemplation while walking the Camino cannot be overstated. It was a true blessing, and a gift from God to have that quiet time. Thoughts of our community of fellow pilgrims, and the many welcoming hospitaleros we encountered, continue to warm our hearts as we reflect on their kindness and generosity (not to mention their wisdom). Now at home we find ourselves probing more deeply the issues of faith, purpose, and spiritual direction. It is as though that part of our lives caught fire, and we are now always discussing some facet of that inquiry. With Christmas just around the corner, Robin and I fondly recall the joy of sharing last Christmas Eve with our fellow pilgrims in the upper rooms of the albergue in Santo Domingo de Calzada. Daniel, a Canadian friend from the Camino, texted us the other day to simply say hello on this very special anniversary. A simple kindness that was much appreciated.

Whether on the Camino or just living our lives at home, we continue to sense that we are all connected, and we are thankful for that. But, with this realization come new responsibilities. Understanding that what one does affects everyone else, shifts our thinking regarding all people and all things. We sell ourselves short, and diminish our lives, if we feel that we can get through life by simply doing no harm. Doing no harm is a start, but we are called to do something more, perhaps much more. In other words, we have to be active, even bold, in our faith or whatever you choose to call that inner yearning that causes us to seek the Oneness of our beginning. What that means for each of us is what I feel we are all trying to discover, and respond to. We do know that all human activity can be improved with love, charity and a joyful heart. These powerful virtues can, and should be, trusted to safely light the way for the inner journey that beckons all of us.

Reaching Santiago was, in a sense, both an end, and a beginning. The pilgrimage physically came to a close, but at the same time we sensed that in some way it hadn't (the Holy Spirit is always at work). There was something yet to be done. Now far from the Camino our spiritual journey continues to lead us we know not where, but wherever that might be we are now anxious to follow. Perhaps, in the end, this will prove to be the greatest gift of our Camino.

Gracias a Dios
 
See why I want to fast forward time!

To read more about John and Robin's camino experience, click here.


Monday, February 20, 2012

Day 594 - Huppel, huppel, hop!


Hoe vertaal 'n mens nou huppel, huppel, hop in Engels? Dit was my dilemma vanoggend en net daar besluit ek - vandag skryf ek hierdie bloggie van my in my moedertaal. Ek weet nie hoe spel-check 'n mens nou Afrikaans nie, maar hier gaat ek elk geval!

Gisteraand was vir my baie spesiaal. Ek het myself in 'n klein kerkie langs die Blouberg se strand bevind, 'n plekkie en sy mense wat besig is om baie diep onder my vel in te klim. En daar sing ons toe uit volle bors ons huppel, huppel, hop liedjie, in aanbidding. Hande in die lug, uit volle bors en ek voel hoe die Here met ons praat! Ek veronderstel dat vir 'n Engelsman om te verstaan kan jy maar se ons het gesing oor hoe jy kan 'hop, skip and jump' for the Lord!

In 'n gemeente wat ek nou maar so stadigaan leer ken, het ek gisteraand twee baie definitiewe gevoelens beleef. En nogal diep beleef. Daar's baie swaar, en baie pyn by van die mense wat so om ons bly. Geliefdes wat veels te gou weggeneem is, siektes wat mense laat platval, finansies wat bollemakiesie.

En daar staan ons. Soos een man, sing ons ons huppel, huppel, hop liedjie.

Ek kan rerig nie onhou wanner laas ek so uit volle bors gesing het nie. Die ding wat my gevang het was dat ten spyte van als wat in 'n mens se lewe kan verkeerd gaan - as jy kan bly glo en lofsing uit jou hart uit, moet jy bly staan. Kan jy nie platval nie.

Dis so 'n amazing ding om te besef, dat ek nie anders kan as om sommer in Afrikaans te begin skryf op 'n blog waar 99% van die wat so nou en dan hier kuier hoog Engels is nie!

My kop is deesdae gevul met Camino dinge. Watter skoene om te koop, gaan my rugsak groot genoeg wees, wat op aarde gaan ek maak as 'n grys haartjie of twee na die derde week op die pad sy verkyning maak, (glo my, as ek by 'n haarkapper moet stop sal geen siel ooit daarvan te hore kom nie!) ens., ens, die lys gaan aan!! Hulle se mos jy moet al jou bederfgoed en luukshede by die huis los, dis dan nou die hele idee - so ek werk maar aan my kop op die oomblik. Ek kan nie se dat die idee van met harde voetsole begin stap vir my aanloklik klink nie. Ek het nie 'n clue hoe op aarde ek dit gaan regkry nie - om jare se pedi's net so uit die venster te gooi en te begin kaalvoet loop om die sole bietjie meer dikvellig te maak gaan maar sukkel!

So gisteraand se huppel, huppel liedjie het my net weer herinner - al hierdie ander goed maak nie rerig so vreeslik saak nie. My fokus behoort eerstens te wees op die feit dat ek hierdie fantastiese geleentheid op hierdie spesifieke tyd in my lewe het. Om vir 'n hele maand elke liewe dag met als wat ek fisies nodig het, op my rug te loop. En net tyd met my Skepper te kan deurbring.

Wow. Praat van huppel, huppel, hop.

Partykeer wonder ek hoe dit is dat ek so geseend is.

Die Here praat deesdae 'n taal met my wat so 'spot-on' is. Jammer, ek kan dit nie beter in Afrikaans se nie!

Vanoggend stap ek op die strand hier by ons en hierdie klip le op my pad in die sand.


Wou ek nou huppel toe ek dit sien! Ek het so twee weke terug begin om elke keer as ek stap, 'n klippie op te tel. Die gaan dan in 'n glas pot, bewys aan myself dat ek my camino voorbereiding ernstig opneem. Elke klip verteenwoordig tyd op die pad in voorbereiding vir die 20 plus kilos wat ek vir meer as 'n maand elke dag gaan stap in Spanje.

Die glas is amper vol, en daar's nog 'n hele paar weke oor. Ek gaan maar 'n mandjie of 'n ding moet koop want my klippe raak al hoe groter en die boodskappe al hoe duideliker!

So ek noem nou maar vandag se klip my huppel-klip en as hy nie so groot was nie het ek hom saam gedra na daai kruis in Spanje waar jy jou klippie moet gaan neerle!



Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Day 578 - All in a day's work...


Now that the year is in full swing and things are pretty much back to 'normal', I feel myself wishing I was back in Europe. I miss walking on cobbled roads, I miss the musty smell of the old cathedrals where little old ladies in black sit running worn rosaries through their fingers, I miss negotiating the price of roasted almonds or chestnuts with old men whilst trying to steal some heat from their mobile barbecues...

I miss being privy to the busy lives of the pigeons and storks nesting in secret places, right above the people living in the towns and cities below - my camera lens allowing me unlimited access to their daily routine. Things you don't always notice in your own city.

I miss the irresistible smell of roasting coffee beans that attack the senses when you walk by quaint little coffee shops. I miss being able to throw all talk of dieting to the wind and being able to unashamedly place my order of pasteis de nata or whatever chocolate-bliss-delight is on the menu.

I miss being surrounded by so much history. I miss the sound of so many different languages that are strange to my ear. There is something magical about observing people interacting but not being able to understand what they are saying. I often find myself  translating the script in my head - the stories become my own and endings are often open ended...

People say so much when they don't say anything. Somehow being in an unfamiliar setting with a language that you don't understand makes one more aware of the expressions on people's faces. I suspect there is a great lesson in there somewhere!

The thing that I really became aware of today as I scrolled through the pictures I took on our recent trip, is how many people actually make their living on the streets of the cities in Europe. I took these pictures without having a specific theme or interest in mind and I was actually quite amazed when I realized how many examples there were. From painters to dancers to buskers to people preparing food. They were all just getting on with the business of surviving.

I looked at these pictures with different eyes today and have new respect for the people that I snapped as a happy tourist, not REALLY giving too much thought to their reality. Even though it doesn't always look that way on the photos, it was freezing on some of those days.

I guess seeing all of these people on the streets in Europe adds to the magic of the place but I certainly have a renewed respect now that I see with different eyes.