Becoming A Pilgrim

"The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy: walk and be healthy. The best way to lengthen our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose." ~ Charles Dickens


juli: I felt like my life had fallen apart at the seams. Everything I believed and hoped for, gone, in the time it took to read an email. Flailing, drowning, not sure which way to turn, I grasped at every conceivable form of ‘therapy’ (including an inexplicable compulsion to buy red appliances), desperately hoping for a lifeline, something, any thing, that would save me. In the midst of all my random acts of healing a good friend came to me and said “it’s time to walk”. Zombie like I obeyed. With the persistence of Job she led me though trails above the village of Saignon in southeastern France and listened as I cried. Patient (but exhausted I’m sure) the day came when she said, “It’s time for you to walk alone.”

Afraid, but still somewhat comatose, I obeyed. I marvel now when I look back on those weeks I walked the secluded paths along route D232 that I only once encountered another person. On the other hand I am sure anyone else walking could hear my wailing grief and avoided me. I had become what I had never aspired to be, the crazy crying étranger (stranger) who wandered aimlessly looking for some solace.

The walking (and crying) continued when I returned to Canada. Though I still didn’t know how to gather the pieces of my life that seemed to be scattered to unknown and unreachable places, physically I grew stronger.

In October of 2010 I first heard of the Camino De Santiago. An ancient pilgrimage. A walk. A long walk. In the same inexplicable fashion that I make many of my decisions I felt compelled to go. From that time forward I began meeting people who had just returned from walking. ‘I feel forever changed’ was a constant theme of the conversations that ensued.

But which route was I to walk? The most popular route, The Camino Frances (780 km from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela) was first considered. But the day I read a description of Via del Plata as the route less travelled it ‘spoke to me’, and became the route I would walk.

How does one prepare to walk a 1000 km? As I researched and considered what I would need to have with me, my priority was clear. That was how I ended up at Holt Renfrew talking to a representative for La Mer.

“I’m going on a really long walk and must carry every thing essential for my survival in remote areas of Spain” I explained. I then asked “Is it possible to have several samples of my face cream?”

"The longest journey begins with a single step."~ Lao Tsu

Next installment: Pilgrim’s Progress and Meeting Stacy