Camino II — Lisbon Alive and Well?

Dia de Liberdade! (Freedom Day)

50 years ago today, on April 25, 1974, Portugal took down the right wing authoritarian regime that had governed the country for 41 years. I was 26 and apparently clueless as to what was happening in the world outside my world of football and family — sadly, in that order. The Carnation Revolution, named after the flowers people offered soldiers on the streets, led the country to democracy and an era of immense social progress. Today, we four US citizens walked alongside thousands of Portuguese who were carrying red carnations and enjoying themselves and one another. Lisbon, alive and well?

The Irony

The people of Portugal are infighting. Shocker, right? It seems everybody is infighting. Only 50 years, think of that. There are people my age, 76, who were in their 20s when this happened, who were on the front lines when the Salazar dictatorship was defeated in what was a non-violent rebellion. Sally and I stopped three guys who were obviously coming from some kind of race and asked them about what I named “Independence Day.” With enthusiasm, one of them, wagging his index finger side to side, said, “No, Independence Day is December one, this is Freedom Day, the Day we defeated fascism!” Fascism? How is that word, that ideology back in the conversation around the world? God, we have such short memories, don’t we?

Only five people died on Freedom Day 1974. Amazing. And now, the talk in the media here is of a right wing movement back to the kind of autocracy that was the way of things when baby boomers were just beginning to boom. So, for Sally and Marlin, a reminder — the world is alive, but not necessarily well!

We experienced something like this back in 2022 when we walked through Spain. We were delighted with the wonderful weather — no rain to interfere with our experience. And then, a week in, and we learned that Spain, like much of Europe, was in the middle of a devastating drought. From then on, we hoped for rain.

We’re wiser now, more alert. I almost said, “more awake,” but, sadly, those are trigger words, and while appropriate, not necessarily helpful.

Time to Lighten up — bring on the Irish!

I love this part of this walk we are walking. And I’m not just talking about the Camino. Dr David Myers talks about micro-friendships. Sally and I are constantly stopping to talk with people. 10 minutes with these guys brightened an already pretty bright day.

“Do you speak English?”

“No, Irish.” And away we go!

“Do you guys know anything about a whiskey tour hike in Ireland?”

“Whiskey? We Irish don’t know whiskey. That’s the Scots.”

”I thought the Scots were about Scotch.”

”Where ya from?”

”The States.”

”Yeah, knew that. Where in the States?”

”Michigan.”

”Ah, Ann Arbor. There ya have the problem then. If you were from Boston you would know that scotch IS whiskey.” I should have offered to buy them one, but didn’t think of it at the time.

Time to be Serious for a Moment.

I’m lighting three candles at Santa Maria Church — 1/2 euro each. These candles are for Glenn Timmer, Clair Webber, and John Steggerda—three friends who died since I retired. I missed their funerals, but I didn’t forget to remember them. I have one more to light, but that one comes later.

And Finally — Mother and Son!

Can’t go a day without a Mary moment. I love Mary. So as to be clear, I love Jesus too, but Mary is easier for me to connect with most days — more human I think. “Woman, what does your concern have to do with me?” (John 2:4) I don’t know how to answer that any better than Mary. So, like Mary, I wait to see if Jesus will do anything at all about what concerns me. And in the meantime, I do what I can.