Camino II — Day 11

Lesson One

Travel light. I don’t know exactly how you translate that into daily life, but I think it’s important to try. How many pairs of shoes do you need, for example? Or sweat shirts? Or hiking pants? My closet is full of clothes that I never wear, but that I might someday.

Maybe a rule for life for someone my age is that when you die it should only take your children about five minutes to sort through your clothes.

And carry with you kindness, compassion, curiosity, generosity — you know, the lighter traits. Try to discard, anger, greed, envy — you know, the ones the weight you down. Not easy though. But worth working on, I think.

Lesson Two

Wear socks that go with your tattoos! In other words, be you. Be imaginative. Be bold if that’s who you are. And if you are not, then don’t be, but don’t discourage those who are. And if you are bold and brash and outgoing, then be that, but don’t think that such is the way everyone should be.

On the Camino and in life there are a variety of people. What I’m working on with myself is how to be authentic. How to be who I think I am and not who I think others think I should be. It’s not easy. There’s a lot of pressure to be someone you are not.

Resist! Be you!

Lesson Three

Be alone when you need to be, but not all the time. We need each other — friends, family, people to walk along side us through life. But there are times, when you also need to separate yourself from others and live in your head for a while. That’s okay. You’re not weird, not even unhealthy.

That’s Marco from Italy on my right and Robert from Colorado on my left. Four days ago they both started walking the “Way of St James” — alone. Then they found each other. Now they are walking in tandem the rest of the way to Santiago. Will they be life-long friends? Maybe. Maybe not. But for the last two days they have been companions on the way.

Final Lesson

Be happy. Be sad. But be neither all the time if you can help it. Get involved with others and said involvement will at times make you sad and at times make you happy. You won’t be either all the time, I hope. There is empathy that comes from allowing sadness in, acknowledging that you are hurting. Because without that you won’t recognize the pain even in those closest to you.

So be happy, yes. But allow yourself the gift of sadness too.

Today we came upon another memory shrine. The red bandanna hanging just in front of the blue scarf is mine. Colored bandannas have been my signature piece of clothing on both Camino walks. I wore one for 35 straight days in 2022 and for every day on this walk as well. As I hung it I said a name — Ron Bush. Ron died just before we left to do this walk. Ron was as good a friend as I ever had in my life, and I do not know a better person than Ron.

I’m grieving Ron on this trip. And I’m embracing the sadness, letting it touch me deep inside. I want to feel, because to feel is to live, and I want to live. And I want you to feel free to feel as well.

Thanks For Being With Us

Buen Camino! We love you.