What We Bring

Camino Day 32

“Dwelling happily and peacefully in the present moment is the best thing we can do to ensure peace and happiness in the future.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

My day started out with this lovely sculpture which captures the joy of the pilgrim approaching Santiago de Compostela.

Since I left Leon I have felt a pull to Santiago. I wake up every morning feeling super tired and think about taking a rest day but the next moment I am packed up and out the door - like a bird on migration, like a wild animal knowing which way to go, like the movement of wind or clouds - I have a sense of instinct now - somewhere I must be. So I keep walking.

AND there were several churches open along the way so I was able to sit in a quiet sanctuary three different times today.

The crowds and noise continue. Yet I am not bothered by it so much. Noticing how my judgment can keep me from connecting with others - my desire for silence and solitude keep me separate. It is all Camino - it all has significance and offers opportunities to be more self-aware.

It is not about what I think about this change from quiet solitude to crowded noisiness - but about what I bring to it: an open heart, a willingness to meet and to be met, an eagerness to engage, a readiness for surprise….

I have a few more days until I reach Santiago. My heart is stirring.

Peace and Love from Boente, Spain

Peeka