Camino 2016 06/04 - Every Step a Chance to Say Thank you

I awoke and left a tad later than others, hoping to have more quiet time to myself. I must be slowly healing these blisters though because I'm walking quicker and with fewer winces. 

I caught up with my Italian friend from yesterday. Her name is Silvia, I was happy to find her, and she was ecstatic to see me. Italians are so friendly! She introduced me to others with whom she was walking as her Angelo who made sure she was safe and rested. She realized that she should not go past Hornillos as she planned and that my suggestion that she stop there made sense. She wanted to sleep the whole afternoon, knew she would not in a dorm, so tried to get a single room but there wasn't one in town.

So her other angel of the day was an albergue clerk who drove her to his mom's house where she slept in the guest room, ate home cooking, and got 14 hours sleep. You see, it turns out she was exhausted because with full albergues she had walked 40km the prior day and did not even see a single sight in Burgos. 

After an hour, we had juice during a breakfast break, spoke with others from all over the world, and continued. She's a nursing assistant and doesn't get to travel much on her income. We walked almost 3 hours between breakfast and lunch with non-stop wild flowers on either side of us. Every step we gasped at yet another splendid floral display. Every step was a visual feast, every step an opportunity to say thank.

We paused at the abandoned ruins of Saint Anton monastery which is now a refuge without electricity or hot water. A lovely volunteer from South Africa greeted us.

At lunch, we rested, filled up, and parted. She almost cried again when, asking me to please continue to pray for her, I asked her to pray for me. I'm humbled beyond words by her loving and faithful heart.

I checked into my place, rested, laundered, and felt good enough to go 450 feet up the hill to the castle ruins. More amazing flowers and views of the Meseta. And even soaked in a little sun and enjoyed the gentle breeze.

I spoke at the grocery store with Reid. He's a tall lanky guy on a study abroad with 13 students and 4 professors from Texas A&M. Last night, I at first thought they somewhat were a loud cliquish group and initially tried to stay away. Soon I decided that I was judging and to not avoid them. Well, he was kind, polite, and said to please say hi to his group tomorrow. 

So as the night draws to a close, I didn't figure out what caused Silvia to cry with me other than from exhaustion and a wonderful sensitivity. I do know that it meant much to me that she found a kind and helpful person at the right time. I'm so sure the Holy Spirit guided me to sit under those trees to run into her. The feeling of unity yesterday morning was palpable. The feeling of trust and caring today felt like God was walking with us.

I also will be more aware that I still am judging others not on any real damage to me but just on preferences. I was once young and loud and boisterous. Who am I to judge now that I'm older and louder and even more boisterous?

I feel as if I have no deep insights today. Just an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Of feeling that every moment is a chance to say softly "Thank You".

(Alanis Morissette's video from the movie The Way: Thank You https://youtu.be/dxpFvBHTirQ )

So rather than new stuff, perhaps today was more like going deeper. Like I'm starting to move past the absorption part and beginning the synthesizing portion of a pilgrimage. All with an ever growing thankfulness. How fitting then to do so as I enter the stark open plains of the Meseta, where there are few trees and places to hide, where everything is out in the open to see.

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Camino 2016 06/03 - I Still Don't Know Why She Cried

I was anxious this morning, wondering if my blisters would return. I walked my normal pace, but every time I felt like my feet motions might be encouraging blisters, I slowed and adjusted. At breaks, I took off the docks and checked the Vaseline and lotion. By the end of the day, all stick looked good so I'm hopeful.

It took an hour to walk outside of Burgos city limits but once I did, it soon started to feel very Meseta. The Meseta is the wide open plain that stretches across until after Astorga over a week away.

The villages are tiny, sort of like Route 66 highway posts that sprout up just to provide relief and fuel for the traveler in the Southwest USA. My Hornillos de la Camino destination has a population of just 400 and frankly that seems optimistic.

I ran into Mike who I met in Puente La Reina, whose niece lives in Pasadena. I met Manuel from Valencia who is just taking a long weekend to walk through Sunday. And I ran into Uli from Bavaria. We had a great post lunch conversation at the only bar in town and she had me order a half lemonade half beer concoction that is apparently popular here and quite refreshing.

I picnicked at the stream. What a delight.

Tried to nap but albergues can be noisy. I thought I would luck out since my room of 10 had mostly older folks, but they gabbed on in the room instead of in the common room. I went back to the bar for a pizza and Coke dinner and met Therese from Saint Louis. She, a 60 year old, walked from Saint Jean with her youngest daughter (her middle child did the Camino in 2007), and as her child had to go back to work, she will continue on from Burgos alone. We talked about the wonderful light that is Daniel, who she like other peregrinos are seeing on his crutches.

One small event has me wondering about what we do and don't do. As I was reaching the top of a slowly rising hill and the temperatures were rising nicely, I saw a Fuente oasis in the fields. I had a full 2 liter bottle of water, having replenished during breakfast and accustomed to walking in the heat. I didn't need to stop, but the oasis of trees was pretty, I made great time, and I thought why not? So I sauntered over and rested in the gentle wind amongst the trees. A few complained about the fact that, unlike the name, there actually was no water here.

But something felt, I don't know, like the Holy Spirit was present so I dawdled and chatted, soaking in that feeling. Soon a young woman walked to the stop and looked for water. I said that there wasn't any and she looked quite frustrated. I asked where she was from, and she indicated that she's from Trieste (Italy) and was trying to finish the whole Camino before her new job started. 

Because she looked anxious and knowing the feeling from just a couple weeks ago, I offered her water. She only had an empty 1 pint water bottle! I filled it for her from mine and she drank half of it, whereupon I topped it off again. She was quite grateful and thanked me profusely.

She asked me where I started. When her eyes lit up as I said Lourdes, I thought I'd offer her some of the water. 

And she burst into tears.

Sh hugged me for two minutes crying. I don't know why the water from Lourdes could cause such a reaction, and I was uncomfortable because I thought I maybe touched an unwanted raw nerve, but she just wept.

Finally she thanked me for appearing like an angel in her life, sipped the water, and had some applied on her forehead. Given the language difficulties, I could only ask if she were ok and she just nodded. I never asked her name and soon she walked on as I sat pondering what happened.

While I walked that last hour of my day, while I sat at the stream, while I watched the sunset, I wondered about the pains, health issues, and hurts we carry silently. Sometimes we do a darn good job hiding  them but when distressed, such as physical duress or thirst, we crack and it all comes out. I didn't know why she cried. I still don't know why she cried. 

But I decided I don't need to know. I didn't need to be at that Fuente at that point in time. And it didn't have to be me who shared water with her.

I just needed to be present. Present at the Fuente. Present when need appeared. Present.

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Camino 2016 06/02 - Siesta

I find siesta so healthy. Rather than plow through the day without regard to injury during the hottest times, you take a break, rest, and save yourself up. Then as it starts to cool, you finish up and have a more relaxed, productive, and fun day. The folks who siesta really seem to make the most of being social after they're done working. And why not? They've more energy to connect and be connected. 

I took a rest day in Burgos so that I could give me feet a chance to heal. And staying at a hotel was helpful because I finally had a bathtub where I could soak my blistered feet. A visit to the pharmacist to grab some Vaseline and antibiotic cream should now make this safer walk.

I did take a tour of the cathedral again. It's just marvelous. Definitely my favorite Gothic building in Spain. I also visited the free Burgos military history museum. It's small and has a collection of items that highlight the strategic importance of this city in days of old. After a light pincho lunch, I rested and slept. I ventured out to Rosario, mass, dinner, and went straight to bed. Now I'm up super early, writing a blog, and getting ready to see if I can walk 21km on these tender feet before the rain comes.

So no surprising insights today. I did run into Gies (the Dutch man from the other day who survived an almost fatal infection and is now walking in gratitude) at the Cathedral. But I needed some solitude to rest.

That rest, that siesta for my Camino, was my gentle insight. Siesta IS healing. I took a break at this hottest time for my own sake and turned down the activities. At this lower volume, I can ponder how the wind has been blowing through me for the past 3 weeks away.  

I close with a prayer I found during last night's rosary service. I translated it to English (I hope correctly) and will walk today in humility knowing that I may need  to ask for physical help, just as I need others for spiritual help.

Supplications to Holy Mary.

I have a thousand difficulties, help me.

From enemies of the soul, save me.

When I err, enlighten me.

In my doubts and griefs, comfort me.

In my solitude, come with me.

When despised, encourage me.

In temptation, defend me. 

In the difficult hours, comfort me. 

With your maternal heart, love me.

With your immense power, protect me.

And in your arms at the hour of my death, receive me.

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Camino 2016 06/01 - The Healer asking for Healing, again

Annamaria and I were the last to eat and leave this morning. She and I met while hanging laundry. She's from the Hungarian part of Romania and now is a professor of mathematics and sociology in Budapest.

I left Atapuerca alone, though I chatted briefly with an older couple from Las Vegas. It was brief. So much of what he said seemed negative. I don't care for this and don't like that. It's honest but at the same time it feels as though you're not receptive to other ways of doing things and are stuck in one way only.

I found and walked a large labyrinth atop the crest separating Atapuerca from Burgos. What a way to feel a journey made together yet alone.

I chatted some more with Micheale and Flavia as I passed them into the first village. Their Camino ends in Burgos so we said our goodbyes. Camino isn't about an exact starting or ending point. It's the whole journey, short or long. The path to the cross was very short, but the pain was real and deadly. On the other hand, some of us journey for years without knowing where we are and where we are going.

After a while I fell in step with Annamaria. I'll describe a scene with her after some more chronicling of the day. I dropped her off at the parochial albergue, as she enjoys staying with the church pilgrims.

I walked through Burgos, noting that I wandered off the arrows, as I've come to know this city in two prior visits. It might be my favorite city on the Camino. I checked into my hotel, washed clothing, sat in my room's bath tub (first one I've had in a month), and let the jacuzzi waters bubble around my aching feet. The blisters don't want to stop it seems, but I'm mentally not affected any more. It's just attending to them as needed.

I walked around town some to grab lunch, ordering a few Pinchos (appetizer size dish) and laughing as I accidentally ordered anchovie and cheese. Oh well, with two glasses of wine and three Pinchos coming to 7 euro, I was in a great mood. I bought a few snacks and went back to the hotel to rest.

Then I went to Rosario (getting easier and easier to say in Spanish), then mass, then walked the 3 km to the Decathlon sporting goods. My water camel broke last week and it's just too frustrating drinking out of plastic bottles. I also bought socks that are supposed to deter blisters. And I got a new quick dry Tshirt for 2.99, as I lost my new labyrinth Tshirt last week.

Now my feet truly ached. I stopped when I saw a restaurant with comforting food. The Chinese menu was in Spanish but it felt comforting to eat food that had rice and noodles.

After I got to my room, I realized that my 30km day (21 plus 9 around town) made my blisters return. I must not walk this much tomorrow on my rest day.

So, back to the enchanting Annamaria.

She's just so friendly. And she shared some of her thoughts. She's quite spiritual and not religious, uninterested in the formalities of organized religion. She does yoga on her walking breaks and afterwards. She cleanses herself and her feet in streams whenever she encounters them. She's interested in my health and well being. She thinks that when good things arise out of bad, it's a sure sign that we are being guided. I pointed out that if I hadn't gotten so muddy and mad, I wouldn't have had to do my laundry so soon and I wouldn't have met her. 

She has learned six tongues and wants to talk in your language so that she can feel your heart beat.

We passed Antonio of Portugal and Mark from Wyoming (who attended mass with me in Nájera). And then we frolicked in the Burgos River. Well, she frolicked. I froze immediately and just laughed and stayed at the shoreside. She waded into the waters and gave me a wonderful memory of healing laughter.

And then, as she dried in the sun, she asked me for some of the Lourdes water.

I did not expect this.

I poured some out into our hands, and at her request, anointed her and gave her a blessing. I rubbed the water into her hands and thought that she, the one who heals with live and laughter, asked for the waters that heal herself. 

I felt like John the Baptist.

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