Challenges and Blessings

Camino Day Ond

“Gradually I learned to cease looking upon challenges as difficulties and began to see tense situations as opportunities to put my growing love to work.” Eknath Easwaran

I am not going to lie - today was hard! Eight kilometers almost entirely steeply uphill and the weather was sunny and hot. I had anticipated cooler, misty weather and was wearing too many clothes.

I was nervous setting off this morning - but was determined to go slow, take breaks, drink water, take as much time as I needed. And I did well until the last kilometer - which was the longest short distance I have ever walked! I stopped every hundred steps and sometimes took my pack off and lay down in a shady spot

Little by little and I finally arrived at Refuge Orisson - it took me four and a half hours

Now I have showered, washed my sweaty clothes, met my roommates (one of whom is from Korea but spends one month a year in a town five miles away from where I live!), had a bite to eat and am looking forward to the pilgrim meal in a couple of hours.

I feel blessed to have made it through the first (and some say the hardest) day.

Thinking back to when I filled my water bottle at a fountain outside the church in St Jean Pied du Port. It seems like forever ago.

More about last night’s unexpected blessing by the priest in SJPDP in another post

Peace and Love from the top of the Pyrenees