Read “Life After the Camino – The Discussions” here.
Read “Life After the Camino – The Tears” here.
I feel it each time I see one of my Camino pictures. I feel it when I read a new Camino book or a blog entry from other pilgrims. I feel it when I speak to others about my experiences of 2011. I see it in others when the members of our pilgrim association get together to attend a testimonial evening: the yearn to return to the Camino.
In a town called Carión de Los Condes I stayed in hotel room due to all albergues being full. That evening I sat on my hotel balcony and watched the sun set. At that exact moment, I somehow knew that I would be coming back to the Camino. True, I was only seventy-some kilometers into my journey, but my visions of a roadside café called “La Canadiense” (“The Canadian”) came to mind. I saw myself serving coffee and welcoming pilgrims who needed a break and a snack. I saw my black and white Camino pictures being sold as postcards and I saw myself locking up the café after a long but happy day.
I also saw myself retracing my steps but with the added experience of a first Camino under my belt. I saw myself walking past known albergues to stay in ones I didn’t get to see on my first Camino. I saw myself returning to the Camino with a sense of déjà vu yet with open eyes to see things I had missed the first time around.
“How could you yearn to return when you hadn’t even left the Camino?” you may ask. I wish I could explain this, but words do not suffice. I knew at that point in time that there were too many things I would not experience the first time around. My first week was spent feeling some level of concern; Would I find an albergue? An available bed? Would I get lost? Would I be able to walk all day? Would I, would I, would I… I believe part of this angst took the place of admiring my surroundings and enjoying every moment without worry.
At the same time, I realized how incredibly unique the Camino journey was, and trying to recreate some of the experiences at home would likely be impossible. I had no idea how much the Camino experience would permeate my cells, my heart, my mind, and my soul.
The rest of my Camino was done with the known fact that I would be returning again. Somehow this took away my concern when I walked past sites that I would not see or churches I would not enter. I knew I would have the opportunity to do so at a later time.
I am truly blessed to once again be preparing to set foot on those hallowed grounds and to once again hear “Buen Camino.”
Sylvie
Pilgrim Sylvie HanesCanada
www.sylviehanes.ca
Completed first Camino in 2011