- Time of past OR future Camino
- VdlP(2012) Madrid(2014)Frances(2015) VdlP(2016)
VdlP(2017)Madrid/Sanabres/Frances reverse(2018)
Apologies that I have posted some of this before.
I came across an old thread of mine called A Camino Interrupted from 2016. (I don't know how to direct you to an old thread). This is a part of my introductory post.
"I was just thinking that I should edit my details, which list the Via de la Plata as completed this year.
In fact it wasn't. I had to abandon my camino in Plasencia, when I received word that my older brother was dying. My brother lived in Portugal, and I had visited him, and shared many a glass of vino tinto just before commencing the camino, so this came as quite a shock.
By coincidence, my companion peregrino (and best friend), had an accident that same day; he came off his bike in busy traffic on the road into Plasencia. He broke a rib and injured a thumb badly, so probably would not have been any state to continue. I won't easily forget being flagged down by a passing vehicle, and turning to see several cars with hazard lights flashing and a group of people leaning over my friend prone on the bitumen, and his bike in the ditch. One of those moments you dread.
I returned to Portugal, and was there when my brother died."
Until now, I had completely forgotten that the friend, Daryl, mentioned above, joined the forum and briefly posted on that thread as follows:
"Hi Paul, good to see your post on the forum...my injuries have all healed but not to sure about the damage to my pride before the fall. Nevertheless I am fit and raring to go next June...JP has a good idea! Loved sharing the time with you and your brothers in Portugal, so it would be a fitting place to start again."
Reading this again brought a lump in my throat. He references a suggestion by @JabbaPapa that I should dedicate my next camino to my brother, starting from his house in Portugal. (This did happen). But the sadness I now feel comes from the irony that Daryl makes clear his intention of joining me again on that subsequent camino in 2017. But he didn't. He decided it was best to postpone it until 2018 when it would coincide with his retirement and hence would not involve more time off work. We enthusiastically planned that 2018 camino, and a few months before our departure he died suddenly of a heart attack after playing a game of golf. I dedicated my 2018 camino to him.
I should state that I am not looking for messages of sympathy - there were many such expressions on the original thread.
The point of my post: I can't help reflecting that we all now live in a new world of postponement. After all, the Camino isn't going anywhere, and there's always next year.
I came across an old thread of mine called A Camino Interrupted from 2016. (I don't know how to direct you to an old thread). This is a part of my introductory post.
"I was just thinking that I should edit my details, which list the Via de la Plata as completed this year.
In fact it wasn't. I had to abandon my camino in Plasencia, when I received word that my older brother was dying. My brother lived in Portugal, and I had visited him, and shared many a glass of vino tinto just before commencing the camino, so this came as quite a shock.
By coincidence, my companion peregrino (and best friend), had an accident that same day; he came off his bike in busy traffic on the road into Plasencia. He broke a rib and injured a thumb badly, so probably would not have been any state to continue. I won't easily forget being flagged down by a passing vehicle, and turning to see several cars with hazard lights flashing and a group of people leaning over my friend prone on the bitumen, and his bike in the ditch. One of those moments you dread.
I returned to Portugal, and was there when my brother died."
Until now, I had completely forgotten that the friend, Daryl, mentioned above, joined the forum and briefly posted on that thread as follows:
"Hi Paul, good to see your post on the forum...my injuries have all healed but not to sure about the damage to my pride before the fall. Nevertheless I am fit and raring to go next June...JP has a good idea! Loved sharing the time with you and your brothers in Portugal, so it would be a fitting place to start again."
Reading this again brought a lump in my throat. He references a suggestion by @JabbaPapa that I should dedicate my next camino to my brother, starting from his house in Portugal. (This did happen). But the sadness I now feel comes from the irony that Daryl makes clear his intention of joining me again on that subsequent camino in 2017. But he didn't. He decided it was best to postpone it until 2018 when it would coincide with his retirement and hence would not involve more time off work. We enthusiastically planned that 2018 camino, and a few months before our departure he died suddenly of a heart attack after playing a game of golf. I dedicated my 2018 camino to him.
I should state that I am not looking for messages of sympathy - there were many such expressions on the original thread.
The point of my post: I can't help reflecting that we all now live in a new world of postponement. After all, the Camino isn't going anywhere, and there's always next year.