I was thinking of what is very abundant on the Camino?
1) Animal poop!!!! All kinds!! With all kinds of different scents!! And following up on that is the numerous farm fields seeded with a healthy dose of fertilizer---the walk is on paths, through forests, in open air spaces, and at any time away from the city you might run into a small herd of cows or lambs!!!
2) Cigarettes and cigarette smoke--everywhere you turn, in the villages or the cities, it is clear why tobacco companies will never suffer a recession in Spain!!!!--- I have adjusted to it, but I am very thankful that in the US people can't smoke where I'm eating, where I sleep, -- almost everywhere inside I go except a casino--
So much of both---
So that's an observation I don't think I've made yet!!! But the farms, the animals, the bars, the cigarettes--
They are part of "my camino", and at times they dominate the scent of my walk!!!
People/pilgrims- on the camino-- sometimes very prevalent, sometimes you see no one!!!
BREAD-- is everywhere, and it's very good-- and after 6 or 7 hours of walking you're hungry for carb's, and bread with soup, bread bocadillo's, bread alone-- I think I've eaten MORE BREAD in the last 30 days than I have in the last two years-- and very fortunately for me I am burning more calories than I consume--
Had I had a "diet" focus I would have brought a dietician and physiologist with me for morning yoga and gotten my fruits, veggies, eggs, and soups to dominate my diet--- but I'll worry about that when I get home. That would have been a different, and less free, camino.
Who is the Camino for?
Well, first off, you have to want the Camino--either be called to it or just plain "ready for adventure"--i have had a rolling group of friends based on the day, one's health, the weather, etc-- one day it's the Spanish teacher, one day it's Pepe and Spanish Gasoline!!!
But I thought about it, and I think there is no limit, or limitations, for qualifying for the Camino!!!!
YOU CAN DO IT!!!! If you want-
And it's not for "everybody", but it is certainly for "ANYBODY" who WANTS it!!!
For instance, the Camino is for those who have many choices and paths, and want to reflect on those paths--
And try and figure out which path to take (although TShea's advice on not taking the path where the bridge has fallen down is duly noted).
The Camino is also for those with no where else to turn, with no path-- the CAMINO is here for those people, too!!
I've met people from both avenues and following both paths---
How did I make it this far--how do any of us?
Despite our inner confidence it isn't all YOU or ME!!!!
The camino is marked-- with yellow arrows, brick stands with scallop shells (st james symbol), in pavement with scallop shells, Yellow arrows--etc-
And then there are the pilgrim made "arrows" with rocks, the man-made crosses---
And there aren't too many of these waymarks, but they kinda of appear JUST WHEN you think you're lost!!!! (Except that first day for me when I was in lala land and wasn't familiar enough with these guideposts).
And I'm thinking of words I have received since arriving, from friends, that have crystallized, enhanced, or clarified very unclear things in my mind!!!!!
For instance, I heard that Stevie Wonder played MSG in NY last week-- and at one point he just blurted out, in between songs, Stevie Wonder says "GIVE UP THE HATE and MOVE ON, people!!!"-- and I'm thinking HEY, THAT's WHAT I've been saying!!!!
Isn't it? Thanks, Stevie!!!!
And this other comment has stuck with me since I read it, and it's a I "wish" I said that, but I'm GLAD someone did--!!
TShea said "but, the right to think that world goodness is attainable is not only God-given, but God-inspired. If we all try to make people's lives better, we WILL"
I agree!!!! #1; it is attainable, this WORLD GOODNESS--i've seen it many times on my camino!!! #2; it is an exceptionally worthy calling to wake up and have as your purpose to help this world attain goodness.
And many others have been helpful to me as I have "evolved"--
And one friend sent me a note and wished me luck "unpacking" from this trip, and he said he expected the "unpacking" would take a LONG TIME--
People, it's not about the clothes in the backpack!!!! ( I mean, two sets of clothes that have been overworn for 30-40 days, with chances much of what was brought and worn will be deemed unusable back home!!)
How long will it take me to UNPACK? To unwind, to evolve the discoveries of this walk? I don't know, but I suggest it will be a very, very long time before I am truly UNPACKED--
And that brings me to a final thought on something there is an abundance of, or was, in my case given I am a mere two days from Santiago!!!
What's that, you ask?
Appropriately--
It is, the abundance of TIME--- WOW, a discovery I'm glad I realize during the walk instead of after--- I have been BLESSED with TIME, and I hope I am respecting that blessing enough on this Camino, my Camino.
It has, and will be for quite some time, a TIME like no other in my life, including the other parts of what I refer to as my sabbatical--
My TIME TO WONDER
Fury and the Slaughterhouse(the band)--quite a name for a band from Germany, eh!!!
TIME To WONDER
"We move in seconds in a world of hours and days" (that's this century, in centuries of old on this walk the world moved in WEEKS and MONTHS)
The song questions our "right to wonder" given all the demands on our time!!!! and the reality and illusions we live within--
Well, no illusions, I have WONDERED!!! And it is "pura maravilla" !!!!!!! "Simply marvelous" in english!!!!
Wishing you, and yours, a WONDER WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING!!!!!
And the TIME, this Thanksgiving, to do some WONDERing of your own---
Peace, 50k away
TT
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