Your Own Camino

It´s a kind of odd, rolling party in some ways, walking the Way of St. James, the Camino de Santiago. People drift along the trail, passing one another or meeting at stopping places to share a snack. People drift into the albergues, washing socks shoulder to shoulder, and drift around town on tired feet, looking for food in the tiny grocery stores and in restaurants. So we´re always meeting each other, especially in the small towns. Some keep to themselves, others reach out to ask about food, health information (feet!), news from the trail, and such.

Some people are taking the bus between places, some are riding bikes, and a great many are walking. Today, it was getting really hot by noontime in Logroño, and a lot of people decided not to go on in the afternoon. So there was a big crowd of pilgrims outside the refugio as its opening time neared. No way that crowd would all fit into the 80 beds available. I went with two other women to look for a different kind of accommodation. There, in a fourth floor walkup, was a pleasant room with a bed for each of us. Wonderful!

Different ones of us do different things. Some move right along, walking or riding fast, burning up the trail to get there quickly. It is, after all, the point of this exercise to cover the kilometers and arrive at Santiago de Compostela. But there are those of us for whom the journey is more important than the destination. There´s nature, history, argiculture and industry, and especially people to meet along the Way. That would include me. And that goes better by foot.

Different ones of us have different orientations to the spiritual journey. Some are inclined to travel in silence, even to go fasting, carrying symbols of the religious faith they live by, attending services at every opportunity. Others treat it more as a hiking vacation, enjoying the passing scene very much in a spirit of relaxation and fun. Then there are those with some kind of in-between attitude.

We meet one another, and learn something of everyone´s journey. Everyone has their own Camino. And all Caminos are of value-- there is no one right way.