Day 634 - A walk with a purpose.

Back: Karin, Susan, Gerda, Lillian
Front: Me, Sonja

Sometimes you can know somebody for a lifetime, but yet somehow you always avoid being alone in a room with them. You just know that after you've talked about the weather, how the year has flown by since Christmas and how the kids have grown, there won't be much left to say. For whatever reason - conversation simply never flows and you never invite each other for a quick coffee to catch up.

And then you meet someone who makes you laugh until the tears run down your face. You feel as if you've known each other for a lifetime yet you're not even sure of last names yet. The women in the photograph here with me all fall in this second category.

I feel like I have been blessed with another group of soul sisters - each one of them.

Last week we all met for tea and cake at the home of Sonja, the amazing blonde seated next to me here. Sonja's home and garden is filled with colour - just like the person she is. A hostess who makes you feel like you can kick off your shoes and relax in her home. While you enjoy the company gathered around her table you notice that your favourite music is playing in the background. She has taken note of your love of a specific genre and she's made sure that she has created an atmosphere that is a treat to all your senses!

As we laughed and chatted away on this beautiful day it was hard to believe that Sonja's life is being impacted by an illness that most people haven't even heard of. Sonja suffers from Multiple System Atrophy, also known as MSA.

Just as I knew absolutely nothing about the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage two years ago, my knowledge of MSA, prior to me meeting Sonja in October last year, was just about zero.

In a nutshell, MSA is degenerative neurological disease. I quote from a MSA Internet site: '...symptoms reflect the loss of nerve cells in several different areas in the brain and spinal cord that control the autonomic nervous system and coordinate muscle movements. '

A nasty house guest then. And one that arrived without an invitation. We won't be playing background music to match his mood. Instead, I read quotations such as this one on the website that Sonja and her friend Karin have created to raise awareness of the disease:

"Adventure isn’t hanging on a rope off the side of a mountain. Adventure is an attitude that we must apply to the day to day obstacles of life – facing new challenges, seizing new opportunities, testing our resources against the unknown and in the process, discovering our own unique potential.” Johan Amatt

Needless to say, when Sonja asked me if I would dedicate my pilgrimage to Santiago to her cause, which is to raise awareness of MSA, I agreed immediately.

The purpose of our get-together last week was thus not only to visit, but also to decide exactly how we would use the journey in Spain to further the cause. Susan and Gerda, pictured above, are also undertaking their first camino and they will be walking from Burgos round about the 16th of June. We are hoping to meet up - what a special day that will be!

Karin and Sonja will be working on a laminated logo with a photograph of Sonja on for us to attach to our backpacks. We will each take a few cards with their website details on and of course we will be armed with knowledge in order to have educated conversations about MSA with people we engage with whilst walking in Spain.

Last but not least, the miles we walk will be logged with an awareness group - they are hoping to log enough miles to round the globe - all part of the awareness effort. My hiking buddie, Eddie, who will be walking with me, also immediately agreed to join in, so his miles will also be added to our total count.

Sonja may not be walking the Camino but I will be leaving my brand new DVD copy of 'The Way' with her when I leave so that she can 'follow' the route from the comfort of her home. Thank you Karin for that brilliant suggestion!

I cannot begin to tell you what it's like to be in Sonja's shoes right now but I would like to direct you to the blog that Karin has created and that the two of them keep going. Following Sonja's journey in this way has touched me so deeply - I cannot stay uninvolved. I urge you to spare a moment or two to read their blog - who knows, you or someone you know could make a difference in some way!

This is the link to their blog:

http://msainsouthafricawithsonja.blogspot.com/2012/03/lion-king-and-shortage-of-spoons.html

I have posted a link to a specific post as this honest, sincere piece really tells the story in a way that only a true, loyal friend can. It is current and for me even more touching, as the brave woman that I spent a morning with this week continues to smile the most sincere smile - Sonja, I salute you!

My journey in Spain has been given a new purpose. Join me if you wish and lets somehow, each one of us in our own little place in this world, attempt to make a difference. The more people know about this illness, the easier it can be diagnosed and hopefully the more intense the research efforts to find a cure will become.

So if you are planning to walk the Camino Frances in June or July and you see someone walking in front of you with a small laminated version of this photograph of Sonja attached to their backpack - stop and say hallo - we'd love to meet you!

Day 625 - Why blog?

As it's twenty one days since I had something to say on my little blog, I asked myself today - why do I actually blog?

For the last couple of days I've been trying to decide what the topic of this (inevitable) post would be. For the life of me, I couldn't make a decision. So I decided to start at the beginning.

I always start a post with a picture. If possible, I like to use something that I took myself. Why? Because these are my ramblings and it seems right to colour it with my own stuff. (Let's be honest here, sometimes I quite like what I took and if I don't publish it, nobody else will...)

So that left me with the first choice that I had to make. Which pic to choose today? As I scrolled down the thousands if Picasa masterpieces I have saved, this one jumped (ok, not quite at 120km per hour, but you get it...) at me.

This is exactly how I feel at the moment. Like a snail. No real energy and all I can think of is what that backpack I'm going to carry on my back for 30-odd days is going to be filled with. And how much it's going to weigh. If I'm to believe what all the camino fundis have to say, it should weigh no more than 10% of my body weight.

Seeing that this has become somewhat of a tell-all place, I'll let you know that that means my backpack should weigh no more that 6,1kg. I feel that for the first time after my pregnancies many moons ago, I have a valid reason to eat as much chocolate as I want before June. The heavier I am, the more I can pack in my backpack - not so?

The little snail is also looking down at the ground - not too sure which way to go, it seems. Well, I've been looking down at my two feet - the two most precious parts of my body as far as the camino goes, as they have to carry me for almost 800km...It seems rather obvious then that whatever I wish to tie them up in every morning has to be really well chosen - the shoes have to be perfect!

I can't afford to have blisters, my feet have to be able to breathe, they have to remain dry and most of all, they have to be supported properly. That's all easy to say but have you looked at the choices out there?? And even more daunting - have you ever had to listen to the advise of dozens of people - all totally convinced that they have the correct answers??

I have walked the streets, visited the shoe shops, tried on hundreds of makes and sizes - with my 1000 mile socks - and still I can't decide what to buy. And I'm running out of time. Those babies need to be walked in by the time these two feet hit the tarmac in France.

Let's focus on the question again. Why do I blog?

After writing all of the above I think I actually have an answer. When I write about the issues that I need to address, it starts making sense to me and I seem to become focused. It's when I stop writing and start stressing about it I become like the snail. The only difference between him and me is that he can curl up in his backpack and go to sleep - me, if I don't get going, the only place I'm going to curl up in, is the el Spanish feet first-aid clinics...

I went to look up the Internet definitions for 'blogging' and really loved this one:

'Something to do when you're unemployed.'

I guess if the shoe fits - I probably should wear it!   

Day 604 - Let the sun guide you...

My absolute favourite line from this video -
'My soul is on a quest and I am drawn to walk this trail...'

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.



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!



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.



Day 577 - Tickets are booked!

Funny how I started feeling slightly nervous about my Camino plans a few days ago. I can't put my finger on it, but for some reason I had that funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that we all hate having - not a good feeling at all but not something that can be fixed by swallowing a pill.

You know what I mean...

And then, this morning, with a click of the keyboard, the feeling disappeared. My flight tickets have been booked. Paid for, can't change it, done.

I had a lovely message with loads of advice from a regular pilgrim on the Camino recenly and in it he said: 'The Camino doesn't pose problems, only solutions.' How true that turned out to be.

At one stage none of the dates worked as they should to fit in with our plans after the Camino - in fact, the boat that we really wanted to hire for the barging wasn't available on the route we first chose - the list goes on.

Just like that, it all started falling in place. No need for frantic questions about some of the bigger issues anymore - it just all worked out. As I should have known.

The Camino offers only solutions - not problems.

I love that!

In my elated state I have found a new desire to get out there and put some miles under my feet in preparation - the picture above and the ones below are some of the sights that greeted me on my walk from home yesterday.

Filled with a new sense of purpose, I'll be hunting for shoes tomorrow. I guess the dream is no longer a dream now!

For more advice from someone who knows the Camino pretty well, click here. As you can see by the advice he gave me - he seems to be on to something!