Read part one here. Read part three here. In September of 2009, we lost a dear person in our lives; my husband’s mother, my mother-in-law and grandmother to my children. Marjorie was a kind, loving person who loved us very much and whose presence was always a joy to us all. One of the things …
One day while walking in France on the Chemin de Saint Jacques, we stopped to rest in the shade of a tree. A passerby noticed our packs on the ground and said, “Ah, vous portez votre maison à votre dos” — “Oh, you carry your house on your back.” That is pretty much what many …
On Sept 19th, the Whitsell Auditorium at the Portland Art Museum opened its doors to a crowd of over 380 for the first rough cut screening of The Camino Documentary. Eager audience members included hikers from local Meetup groups, past and future pilgrims from the Portlandia chapter of American Pilgrims, film aficionados, and, most importantly, plenty …
Read part two here. Read part three here. We always talk about what we received from our Camino experience, but seldom talk of what we left behind. I’m not talking about shirts or shorts or a bar of soap although I am sure most of us pilgrims did forget some items at some point in …
On 22 May 2011 I had the urge and feeling to walk the Camino. No preparation, not even enough money to do it. My will was greater than I thought. I asked friends for help. In June I was able make the decision to plan go to do my Camino. In July 2011 I took …
Computer Consultant Searching for Himself on the Camino Read More »
It was one of those days when the description in the guidebook bore absolutely no connection to the reality underfoot. We had left Burgos, its amazing cathedral with its diaphonous towers, jokester time-teller and the inscribed words, Misere Mei, that seemed so appropriate. We headed west, out of the city, aware that the day ahead …
I heard it many times during my Camino journey that pilgrims are called “The Protected.” Protected in what ways? In as many ways as you can imagine. From the day of the Templars, the Hospitallers of St. John right up to today, pilgrims have been experiencing many comforting moments in challenging times. My story is …
I wept my way across the meseta . . . not because I underwent a religious or spiritual experience or because I discovered a great insight, but because I discovered I was allergic to wheat. Yes, wheat. I had read about all the waving wheat of the meseta and how it served to drive pilgrims and …
Remember the days when you were a child and you drew pictures to tell a story? I spent endless hours drawing, painting, and creating small works of art that told tales. I didn’t really know how much of this skill would be leveraged during my Camino, and this skill brought other pilgrims and myself a …
The pilgrim named Annie speaks of her fear of death as she walks the Camino. I couldn’t help but reflect on the entire theme of death while walking. If you stop to think about it, we are dying in every instant. Our very cells are in a continual process of dying and regenerating. It’s curious …
