Pepe, my new friend on the Camino since the last night in Villafranca, and I run into Manuel. Pepe, from the island of Ibiza, Spain, and Manuel get along so well that Manuel insists we sit and have some wine-- FOR TWO HOURS- we do this, and when we tell him we still have more to walk he is quite sorry to see us go--and keeps pouring from his jug!!!!
These small towns, and the genuine, relaxed, and comfortable people within these towns, are things I am truly taking to heart. I say town, but it's a pueblo, a "village"-- maybe 50-100 people live in these villages. And all the farm animals-- these people grow and farm what they eat-- chickens, cows, pigs, lamb, etc--it's all local and fresh!!!! Genuine--like it's easy to see their heart--or soul, if you are open to seeing it.
We talk of many things, but eventually our talk gets to the "two GREATEST commandments--"Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and Love your neighbor as yourself"-- and the discussion revolves around how hard, sometimes, one finds it hard to love "yourself". And if you don't love yourself, your outward love can be quite complicated.
So loving oneself, wholly, everyday, starts the rest of the ball rolling downhill, and I think about how honest and open the conversation is, and about one "knowing" that one can sometimes find it hard to love oneself is certainly not a bad thing, because knowing the self is certainly the gateway to loving the self, right?--i think so---
And I always think of how tied up my spirituality is with the music that soothes me and takes me places I don't get to all "on my own". My spirituality is part of me, who I am, but the music in me allows, or perhaps facilitates, my love for myself, and my knowledge of how blessed I am- and have been.
And I think of how hard it must be to know that sometimes you find it "hard" to love yourself, but also how revealing, and perhaps powerful, that can be--- because if you know you "need" help to love yourself (and by default others), then you are empowered to seek it--- but I'm not talking about going to the analyst, or shrink, although they can be very helpful as well---
"You've Got a Friend"
When you're down, and troubled,
And you need a helping hand-
And nothing, nothing is going in right--
You just call out my name--
And you know wherever I am,
I'll come running,
To see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall,
All you got to do is call!!!
I always thought Carole King wrote this song for a long lost lover who would, despite bing dumped, always be there no matter what---
But now I am seeing this song expressing something else, the availability of knowing that, just like on tis camino, My Camino, you are NEVER Alone, you are NEVER LOST--
You just gotta call, out my name ( or that person's name that this represents to you)-- many would just call on, or cry out to, Jesus, Jesus Cristo,---- I guess the important thing is you know you can call on the ONE you need, when you need them, and know WE ARE NEVER ALONE----
Me, I take great comfort in knowing this, and always have. It's my "backstop"---when that "old north wind begins to blow"--- but it's also my foundation, my ROCK--from which the river of my life flows.
So a very ordinary wine, and an extraordinary experience, takes me near O'Cebreiro--- and we arrive well past 8pm, with a car taking us the last 2 kilometers as we have no idea where to go as the waymarks are not "lit", and it's pitch dark!!!! And although I am "never" lost, for the second time on this camino I am very happy someone with a car has shown up and suggested I get in--which I do--
Because I know we all have, and we all need, A FRIEND---and just when you need Him He provides--
From the Top of the mountain, O'Cebreiro
Peace
TT
Peace
TT
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