I've been trying to write about my plans to hike the Camino to Santiago for a while now, but I wasn't quite sure how to approach the topic. Then I read this story in a book I've been reading, The Restless Heart, by Ronald Rolheiser:
"In the nineteenth century, a tourist from America paid a visit to the renowned Polish rabbi Hofetz Chaim. The tourist was astonished to see that the rabbi's home was only a simple room filled with books, plus a table and a bench. "Rabbi," asked the tourist, "where is your furniture?"
"Where is yours?" replied Hofetz Chaim.
"Mine?" asked the puzzled American. "But I'm only a visitor here. I am only passing through."
"So am I," said the rabbi."
And so are we all. One moment you are studying drama in high school and suddenly you are 69 years old and wondering if you should retire. "Pay attention," a wise friend of mine once said, "This will all be over in the blink of an eye."
With that in mind, I want to make the best of my remaining days on earth before they disappear like dust blown away by the wind. I have found myself led by God to a contemplative lifestyle, and one of the benefits of that process has been a slowing down of time. The more attention you pay to what's important in your life, the longer it seems to last. When you are too busy paying attention to minutiae the big things pass by you in a blur.
One way of intensifying attention is by stripping away distractions. That's why I am planning to hike the Camino Portuguese from Tui to Santiago this September. A few years ago, the Executive Director of Maryknoll Lay Missioners (MKLM) sent out a reflection on St. James' feast day (July 25) in which he spoke about the Camino to Santiago (relics of St. James are in the cathedral in Santiago). It is one of three major pilgrimages in the Catholic Church (the other two are to Rome and to Jerusalem). I had never heard about it before, but reading that reflection resonated deeply within me. I knew I wanted to do it, even if I wasn't sure why.
Mary made a deal with me: she would go with me on the Camino for a week, if we spent the following week going to places in Spain where she would like to go. In a week, walking from Tui to Santiago, I will travel over 100 kilometers, which would qualify me for a compostella, a religious certificate saying that I have completed the pilgrimage. Plus after a week of hiking, I think I will be ready for some old-fashioned tourism.
The thing about hiking the Camino in Spain on vacation is that I will be away from work and away from my daily routine. Looking at a guide to the Camino Portuguese, I should be hiking from 10 to 12 miles each day, except the last day, which will be over 15 miles. There won't be much pressing on my mind beyond taking each step, looking around, and dealing with whatever thoughts and emotions arise.
We originally made plans to go in September 2020, but then Covid changed our plans. This year, I feel things will be settled enough where we will feel comfortable going. I also don't want to wait too long, because as I noted above, I am 69 years old and will turn 70 in November. I have been keeping a walking regimen, and feel I should be able to handle the hike, but that may change, so the sooner the better. Mary originally wanted to do some of the hiking with me, but it appears she won't be up to the physical challenge.
The plan is to stay in hotels. Each morning I would go off on my hike and Mary would look about the town before taking a taxi to meet me for lunch along the way. After lunch, she would take a taxi to the town where we would spend the night. I may be walking with my friend from work, Maryknoll Lay Missioner Deborah Northern. Debbie would be very helpful, because she is fluent in Spanish, while Mary and I are not.
In preparation, I joined the member organization American Pilgrims on the Camino, and last fall I hiked with some of the members along the Hudson River. We walked from Tarrytown to Yonkers, about 12 miles. I had no problems, which convinced me this is doable. I also had my first experience walking with people who have walked the Camino, and they were the friendliest, most encouraging, and nicest bunch of people you could walk with. I hope to do a couple more hikes with them before September.
I also posted a question about our mixed taxi/walking plan on their Facebook site, and I received much encouragement there as well, including one person who offered to talk to me via phone about her "taxi Camino" experience. The more I read and learn about the Camino experience, the more apparent that this is a journey that changes the lives of most people who do it. Many people hike the Camino multiple times. They also have a strong sense of community, because if ever someone needs help along the way, there is another person who will do their best to help. There are many stories of complete strangers reaching out to someone in need.
I don't know how I will feel afterwards. But I think that this hike will be an important, spiritual experience, and I very well may meet people that will be friends for life. I am excited by the possibilities.
So for a week, I hope to be just passing through Spain, one step at a time, learning something about a place I've never been and about the people I meet on the way. I will be walking my first pilgrimage, and I hope to tell you about it this fall.
Meanwhile, I hope you have a safe journey on your pilgrimage through life, and that you find wisdom and joy at the end of it. ¡Buen Camino!
