Back in January, we launched our Power of One campaign to raise funds to finish The Camino Documentary. As part of the campaign, we held an online contest: The Give Back, where we promised to donate 5% of the funds raised during the first part of the campaign to a person and to an organization. We were looking for someone who truly wanted to walk the Camino but didn’t have the means to do so, and for an organization that demonstrates the Camino’s spirit of love, kindness and generosity while serving its pilgrims.
We’re thrilled to introduce Sarah from Orlando, FL who will be making her way to the Camino in October! She will be walking the Camino with Deborah from iPilgrim Podcast. The Camino is all about giving back, and we’re ecstatic to give back to Sarah. She sent in a sincere, genuine letter & we knew she had the most earnest of intentions in her wish to walk the Camino.
Below, read Sarah’s essay, and wish her the best on her upcoming adventure on the Camino! Check back soon to learn about the organization that won a donation from us as well in The Give Back.
I wish to go to the Camino for the spiritual awakening that I am in such need of at this point in my life. I have a friend that has been to the Camino once before and she speaks so highly of it and the experience she had on it I believe it would help me in my trying times.
I have a daughter who is six. Her name is Sophia. She is my life; she is amazingly smart and well behaved for the most part. My fear is that I am not a woman she would want to look up to as a role model. I want to be the best mom that I can spiritually, emotionally, and physically be for her.
My job has laid off 22 people since January. Every day the moral gets worse and worse. People think: “is today my day?” It definitely does not make it easy or enjoyable to go to work every day. I would be alright if they laid me off, but I would be lost because I don’t know what my next step would or should be.
I have a boyfriend of 2.5 years which is unhealthy because he cannot commit and I stick around and don’t know why. We go through these waves in our relationship. When it is good its really good and we are on a high. Then all of a sudden it seems we are on a rip current and everything is falling apart.
Eventually we make up from that feud and we are good again. We continue on this cycle over and over again usually revisiting the same subjects. It is as if we put a patch over the hole in the tire but with normal wear and tear on the tire the patch gives way and we need a new patch. My point is I realize we are only temporarily fixing the problem but neither one of us can find the solution.
I believe backpacking on the Camino without most, if not all, worldly distractions would shed some light to who I am and what I need to do to take the next step. I mean that in every way. Who I am as a mother, what I allow my child to get away with (if it is healthy spiritually, emotionally, and physically for her) and what I am too strict on. How and what do I need to change to be the mother I really, truly want to be for my incredible daughter? My career too, what makes me truly happy and how can I make money to pay my bills doing it? And finally my relationship, I believe being out there will give me answers to my questions about my relationship. What are my expectations of my significant other? What are my expectations for being the ideal wife? How do I expect to be treated on a daily basis and how much should I tolerate? I am at a pivotal point in my life and I truly believe going onto the Camino for a few weeks could really do me some good to cleanse my mind and spirit.