YEAH JOHHNY

YEAH JOHNNY-
It was just ONE of those day's where the only RIGHT thing to say, and all the SIGNS POINT to is "YEAH JOHNNY"!!!!!

Okay, so 4 Korean's, 2 Canadian's, 2 French, one German, and me for a traditional Korean dinner. I ran into Yeung, who is staying at the same Albergue in Pamplona--

Albergue's-- what's that mean? Well, last night I was 1 of 5 people in a pretty big room in Zirubi?, but tonight in Pamplona was #15-- and they have great showers where the water turns off every 20 seconds and you need to push it to get it back-- and YES, it's every man or woman for themselves and you best not be shy.
They have laundry facilities too!!!!!! For 1 euro you can dry your clothes too--
Which i did today since i had to hang yesterday's clothes on the outside of my backpack since they were wet--which weighed more for the morning at least!!!!

I decided i won't be sending anymore pix even though it's easy with this bbery. Bottom line, i will look the same everyday except my beard (no razor to keep my backpack as light as possible) so you've got enough pix since i have two sets of clothes that are the same-- no mauve or BRIGHT RED this time.

I'm moving inward, but my writing inspiration continues. I guess i should apologize for the basic run-on's, but i figure if you're showing up here you know #1) it's your choice and #2) i can't edit on this bbery-- yes, those emails were edited!!!!!! Slightly.
Be Clear--- i am not looking for things to write---it's just hitting me one after the other-

So--i'm the 2nd oldest at dinner, one of the korean girls is the youngest at 20, and one of the Canadian girls really has a PASSION for just being a good world citizen!!!!! The reasons for finding themselves here vary, but a number of them lean on a life-altering event (girlfriend breakups, other undescribed etc--). me, i tell them I am just blessed to be here and share the moment).

I had my first conversation in english today (the Canadian world citizen), and my languages alternates between french/english/spanish so much i find it hard to think straight. Okay, i'm in spain, and i'm focused on espanol, but then i meet the frenchmen and oohh lala--- i've got frenglespanol going!!!

TODAY on the TRAIL NOTES--
Life on the camino today was so peaceful-- awake 7am outside and it was still dark at the other foot (eastern) of the mountains and the North Star was above very bright, and an hour later the sun was barely peaking as we started our walk. Antonio (brasil), Zues (barcelona) and i commenced our walk to Pamplona. And a pleasant, enjoyable, peaceful, and moderate hills trail it was (thank you GOD!!!!- ("TO THE MORNING" by Dan Fogelberg, with full symphony is playing in my mind). Zues is helping me enormously with my spanish, and we go at it for 15 minutes then silence for an hour as everyone goes at their own pace--unplanned, unscheduled, and relaxed.

Pamplona--- our destination, will take us from radically unspoiled almost medieval pueblo's to a bustling Spanish city-- but when i get here i remember the pictures of the bulls in the streets every July, and i know that the city within the city is still here--small cavernous type streets walled in--

Pamplona, during my walk, knowing that's the destination, the first thing that comes to mind is that i am familiar with someone who was severely hurt "running with the bulls" a few summers ago. Accidents, tragedies, innocent human error-- it's all part of life.

I'm thinking of those people who i know have been affected/afflicted by these things (that individual as well)and have had to react and respond to these unfortunate wrong place/wrong time bad events. Life is what you make it, but life is truly what you make it when you've almost lost it and now what you knew before is gone and what's to come is unknown---- i know many who've responded to circumstances of life with a degree of phenomenal human spirit that belies the mind!!!!!! YOU know who you are!!!!!

I pray, in Pamplona, for those who are in that predicament, that they continue to have that strength and I am thinking of them today on my walk.. I also pray I never have to face those challenges and burdens, but should they fall I upon me I ask God for the strength these stricken people have shown.
I prayed the rosary today while thinking this. THE ROSARY!!! My Grandmother on my Mom's side use to sit in her room at night (our house in Toms River, it's 1968) and have a stack of prayer cards and rosary beads. Hours, and then she'd' go to sleep.
So, remembering that, and also remembering to bring the Rosary beads blessed by the Pope in Rome that i bought last December (dropping names-- Fr. Kev would have been just fine for me) --So i've got two "relics" or whatever secular term you would like-- I've got rosary beads, and I've got my WWJD bracelet
So, the beads came in handy because i brought a sheet to remind me how to do the rosary!!!! OH, i forgot i've got the St Christopher (traveler's guide) medal that was a gift!! And the bracelet came in timely because.....another DIGRESSION

Story
--- coincidental that Ihave my WWJD bracelet with me, as i haven't worn it in a few years--but wore it for 10+ years-who knows why?
Anyway, maybe it's because someone sent me a note with very similar letters in it just last week--or maybe not? my wife let on through her super-secret email to me that WWTD (HER WORDS and her note-- the T for TOMMY) had something to do with her deciding to go to the concert, for her, at least, "what would tommy do" had a kinda "guilt" affect, but in the end she made her choice-- and i learned that the other two friends aslo had plenty of excuses NOT to go-- but now they will be talking about wednesday for the rest of their lives!!!!!

Much like me and the boys from St. Joe's in Toms River think about Birmingham (England, not Alabama) in May, 1999.

Memories, MAKE THEM OR MISS THEM!!!

So, i can't wear the bracelet as it would be pure sweat!! So it hangs in the backpack with the beads and St. Christopher-- how bout him-- responsible for getting everyone traveling everywhere yet he doesn't have a country or a Camino like St James--rough allocation policy up there in Heaven!!!---

I am eating like a horse, and sweating like a pig!!!!!!!(Only animal i haven't seen so far is a pig!!)

And that brings me to James Michener-- he did the Camino in 1965 for the 2nd time after he had a severe heart attack, and decided that before he died he'd' like, if he got out of that hospital room, to go back to Santiago, Spain. And he did-- it's all in his book, last chapter, Iberia.
Writers galore here.

And that brings me to YEAH JOHNNY.
And seeing the signs.
Life is always talking to us--- we just need to be good listeners.

My head has WALK ON by U2 spinning, but not the whole song, just the ending the way U2 did it in the MSGarden in late 2001, when they scrolled the names of the 9/11 victims--
"ALLE ALLE--- ALLE ALLELULIA"!!!

YEAH JOHNNY !!! About 5 people know what/who i'm refering to---
And it hits me--- i was trying to see all the names i knew at that concert---- but I only saw one--and missed the rest-- and at the time it was just my angle etc---and now i think no, THEY were all busy making sure someone saw!!!!! And i just got lucky-or did I?

You have to see the signs-- (natalie merchant-"These are Days")

They'll be something in here for you if you're here--- how can i be sure???
I'm not--

But's it like "you're never lost" on the Camino--

And THESE ARE DAYS to remember

And Bono's last words are....

"I'll see you when I get home"

Yes you will, says Johnny!!!
And I pray I, and all of you, do just that.

Peace
Tt


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