Felice
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- SJPP to Santiago Sept 2014
In a very recent thread, Rebekah Scott commented 'A lot of people are afraid of one another, and they will be afraid of YOU for sure'. That made my heart sink, because the friendliness of the people along The Way is one of the things that makes the camino so special.
This new fear is something that I have noticed at home too. My little town used to be very friendly, and it was easy to chat to strangers and passers by. Even - or even especially - at the start of lockdown, people interacted, there was a concern, a spirit of all in this together. Not any more, that has long since gone. It started to seep away when the mask rules came in, and we could no longer see each others faces, now it has nearly all gone.
Maybe it is because our small town has become a focus for people coming out of plague ridden Birmingham to have a day out walking on the hills (and I can't say I blame them). Maybe the government ads telling us to regard everyone as a potential killer have got to us. I don't know. All I do know is that no-one interacts any more. Eyes averted, maybe even turn their backs to you as you pass by 3m away. All the humanity has gone, and I want to weep.
Is this how things will be when the camino opens up again? A fearful population that wants nothing to do with the potential killers in their midst? Pilgrims who only come to walk as part of a group and stick firmly to their bubble and no-one else? Suspicion and fear of anyone unknown? I sincerely hope not, but I cannot help but worry that the fear that is palpable everywhere at the moment will take a very long time to go away again.
This new fear is something that I have noticed at home too. My little town used to be very friendly, and it was easy to chat to strangers and passers by. Even - or even especially - at the start of lockdown, people interacted, there was a concern, a spirit of all in this together. Not any more, that has long since gone. It started to seep away when the mask rules came in, and we could no longer see each others faces, now it has nearly all gone.
Maybe it is because our small town has become a focus for people coming out of plague ridden Birmingham to have a day out walking on the hills (and I can't say I blame them). Maybe the government ads telling us to regard everyone as a potential killer have got to us. I don't know. All I do know is that no-one interacts any more. Eyes averted, maybe even turn their backs to you as you pass by 3m away. All the humanity has gone, and I want to weep.
Is this how things will be when the camino opens up again? A fearful population that wants nothing to do with the potential killers in their midst? Pilgrims who only come to walk as part of a group and stick firmly to their bubble and no-one else? Suspicion and fear of anyone unknown? I sincerely hope not, but I cannot help but worry that the fear that is palpable everywhere at the moment will take a very long time to go away again.