I recently returned from a walking pilgrimage on the Camino de Compostela in northern Spain. It was a journey of faith, release and renewal. Most of all it was a journey of love.
Five things I learned about life while walking the Camino:
Follow the signs- We walked the Camino by following the yellow arrows and markers that show the way. There are always signs along the journey of life if we pay attention on the path.
Yes I can – Our longest day was walking 17 miles. I worried and often doubted if I would be able to finish. On the trail we just kept walking. It’s the same in life. Wherever we are headed we can get there if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Be Here Now – On the Camino I wasn’t thinking about the project I was working on at home, or what was I going to do when I returned. I was in the moment following the yellow arrows. In doing that I saw the beautiful scenery, visited inspirational churches, chatted with fellow pilgrims. Being in the moment allowed me to truly experience the richness of the culture and countryside and appreciate the blessings of the moment.
Prayer works – we were blessed to have so many friends and family praying for us. Prayers were answered as we safely finished our journey and joyously arrived in Santiago. We had warm, sunny weather, amazing food, wonderful hotels. Thank you God!
Love is the way – I was grateful for the compassion and love of our fellow pilgrims. We shared our snacks, band aids, ointment and ibuprofen. We looked out for each other and cared for each other. We met other inspired pilgrims along the way.
Every day is a walk in love. Every day is an opportunity to experience God’s blessings and gifts on our journey of life.