Why, you ask, would i still be in France?? Good question, as that was not the plan when i left lunch. I think i mentioned missing a turn in Green Lake, Wisconsin and riding a bike an extra 10 or 20 miles..
Well, first day, in mountains, i missed a turn off the road onto the PATH, THE WAY, and the only reason i even knew it was because Antonio from Brazil, age 61, was backtracking toward the Cross that we saw about 5 kilometers ago. He insisted i was going the wrong way, in Portuguese, mind you, after enormous effort on both our parts we turned around. After 1 1/2 hours we saw the one car that we knew would come, and flagged him down-- again, thankful that i can communicate in french, disappointed i can't in portugeuse, as i think Antonio us he can't speak english,---- i speak to the driver and he tells me he'll be back in 15 mins and take us down the mountain--
And back we went-- because it was 7pm and we we're in complete fog and it was cold and this is what THEY WARN YOU OF in the guide book!!!! Thrilled we are safe, we watch this driver caroom down the mountain!!!!! NOW i'm really scarred!!!! I'm not kidding-- i can't see 5 feet in front of me and he's going like it's sunny out--- and now i'm thinking, unlike last time i wrote, i really, REALLY am going to die, in this petite mini-truck as we fly off this one lane 'wide enough for a cow' mountain road. But he's a farmer, right here, and although i didn't know it based on how he drove, he knew the roads like the back of his hand!!!! And j'arrive in St Jean again!!!
And i'm thrilled to be here.
Well, what happened this afternoon before i got lost?
Cows!!!! And Lambs!!!!! And horses/ Chevaux!! That is basically all i heard.
On the path/road that i was on all day. I was thinking, as i was walking alongside each of these animals for many kilometers, that i was really glad Jake and Moose were not with me. J&M are my labrodor retriever dogs, and if they were here i wouldn't have travelled a kilomtr. They would have had a field day with all these farm animals and i would have had my arsm pulled out of my socket trying to hold onto them.
And that got me to thinking about how Jake arrived in our life and what a night that was-- it was Xmas Eve, 2001, and Liz (my wife) did the unthinkable- she broke her own rule and surprised me and the three kids with a dog. We named him that night before we went to sleep and before the parents got to work on the presents. Then i thought i had a bit more to think about--- given Liz had given in on "getting a dog""-- life's too short to fight the little things, even if they grow up to be 100 pounds!!!
Nothing like 9/11 to remind us of that.
And each step i took i tried to have a face and name in mind, and when i did i said a prayer for them. That was a very, very painful period in general, but it also brought out the best in people in a way ordinary days do not. I knew, as i know many of you did, so many people that just did,kt come home from work that day. And i've on occasion thought of them, but not for two hours straight with the silence and peace of a farm road. Not where i live, in the life American's have grown into routine. Busy, busy, busy. Well, it felt right to be having those thoughts, and being thankful for all the joys, despite the enormous loss, that life has brought families who have survived that tragedy. I don't want to go and name those i thought of, as although this is a personal journal that you're invited to read, those who know me and know the people know i am thinking of them. And for you, why don't you take a minute or TEN and give some thought to thinking about the families left behind--no, REALLY THINK!! Okay, my guess is it might feel good because most of what i thought of was the joy-- i didn't think of the day and the planes, i thought if the individuals and going to concerts with them, and going to baseball games, and dinners, and riding the boat commuting, and i thought of them smiling and being happy. And me happy with them. And that gets me back to HOPE and FAITH.. Which is where i left you at lunch.
I was going to tell you about the way the clouds parted ways as i approached the next leg of the mountain, which really did happen, and i thought that it was somewhat God's gift to me for starting on the Camino, but then i met Antonio and he convinced me we were totally lost and had to turn around, and the rest of the day was history.
The LOST PART KINDA BROKE my concertration and mediation, and now i was for the first time walking near someone (antonio from Brazil)--but that didn't matter much because he nor i could barely communicatei-- sign language without the deaf part-- we tried mightily, and we got back to the albergue, so that's good enough!!!!!
Okay, i won't bore you what hurts or any of that--- i chose the path so i'll only include stuff if it's a story, not a complaint.
Ps. No spell checking (yeah, i know, spellcheck can't help what i write anyway) anything, no spell check on bbery, so just go with it-- and if you have a question on something i'll get back to you when i return--should i find the way.
Good night
Peace
Tt
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