CO-INKI-DINKS ?

[manifestdestinyLISA]

OK, so has anyone had this experience? Am I nuts?
Felt the call 2008 waited it out and "the call" remerged about a month ago. Since then every day something providential like:
1st go to Rei to get fitted for boots, 3 sales staff never heard ot the Camino- the lady helping me is patient as I have no idea which shoes are best-she calls in reinforcement lady #2 then lady #1 comes back 1 hour later and tells me she never heard of the Camino but that there are now 2 others pilgrims in the store and she introduces us. A sister/brother..sis did it last year, brother left last weekend to do it (he just decided and was also looking for boots).
OK then I go get Chinese food- I hardly ever get "real" philosophical fortunes..but get this NOT KIDDING "a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step" WHAT? followed by fortune #2 "Man does not plan to live, but just Lives"!
OK then Im wrapping things up at work (I counsel students) and this student stops by my office and tells me out of nowhere that there is an advanced Spanish class being offered for the first time this summer and the class is being taught using the Camino as the theme and point of conversation!
Then yesterday, I call an apartment listing on craigslist for a summer rental and the Lady asks me my plans etc, I tell her my situation and plan to walk the Camino...We wound up chatting on the phone for over 1 hour as she told me about her Camino in 2001 (today May 25 is her start date/ camino anniversary) and her trip to Assisi as well..We plan on meeting next week!
Not done yet. Then, I go to Dr. for annual visit, I am in the waiting room and there is an old AARP mag from 2009 with Antonio Banderas on cover, I start to breeze through and THERE IT IS a four page article on "The WAY". God is so good. :arrow: :wink:

 

[lizlane]

You are not nuts...unless I am too! I, too, have experienced the same thing. When I fell in love with the Camino, I didn't really understand what was happening to me. Kind of an urgency, I must DO this. I had been thinking of this nonstop since learning about it. Literally the first thing in the morning and the last thought before I slept. After 3 days of this, I returned to work after a brief hiatus and was overwhelmed with the despair of my job. I counsel adolescents, too but these have little hope! It wasn''t so much the kids that got to me as the people I work with and the corruption within our organization. I returned home and watched videos on Utube and sobbed. I watched the mailman arrive and I thought I wonder what bit of loveliness is he dropping off for me today? Another bill I can't pay? A quiet voice told me "No. It's the Catholic Miscellany." So I went and saw that indeed it was. The front page announced "Take up your cross and follow me." I went from despair to joy instantly. Then I saw some neighbors pushing a car across the street and offered to jump them off. Turns out they were out of gas and I had some. They were Spanish exchange students from Barcelona. I told them I hoped to be in Spain this time next year and one asked me what I was going to go see. I told him about the Camino and HE HAD WALKED IT THE YEAR BEFORE!!! He said it was the experience of a lifetime.

Now what are the odds that the neighbors I NEVER talk to would run into car trouble on this day? What are the odds that they would be from Barcelona and one would have walked the camino. I am sure they are staggering. Especially when put together with my experiences so that I could be certain that this was something I absolutely must not abandon!

I also had an REI experience boot shopping. I'm working one of the associates to death, asking a million questions he is actually happy to answer and when we get down to the purpose of why I want the boots, he introduces me to a woman also working that day who is thinking about going. I became that strange coinkydink person for her!

A coinkydink? I don't think so. I am so stoked about going that I hardly recognize the person I am already transforming into just from the preparations alone. I can't wait to see the changes brought by actually walking the Camino. I have a million people who want to caution me to not get my hopes up and build this trip into something its not. I smile, I thank them. I walk on.
They mean well. But if I listen to them, I will never leave. I will never know what lies on the open road for me and currently, in my book, that would be a fate worse than death.

I gave up TV so I could save money to go because I am poor and I don't care if it takes me nine years, I will go. I hope to meet you along the way.

 

[manifestdestinyLISA]

Liz,

Thanks for the confirmation, your response made me smile and laugh out loud-its the "what the heck?!" and urgency that makes it all bananas. And the fact that most people in my life right now think its Crazy that Im not just jumping back into professional life. There is also something amusing about the fact that I have no idea where you are (live) or when you plan on making the pilgrimmage-but you are somewhere out there dealing with the mentally unhealthy mental health system (like me, which is all the more reason/ to walk,intercess and pray for miles)also trying to put some shekels together to make your camino calling a reality. I have a really comfy bed, but I started sleeping with a futon mat on the floor?! Traded in my daily high heel habit for my vasque breeze (gets the job done, but not the most attractive) break in treks-and it feels right, dang it!

I think I am just starting to get the idea of when people say "Im called to be a Sr. or Fr.", I always wondered how does one really know when called? YOU JUST DO :shock: -It will tug at you and show up everywhere-the money, opportunity and even the fiat/YES is somwehere waiting for just the right moment and you know it in your heart of hearts. But that's all you know!It is really exciting and scary all at the same time. You do have to trust and die to self. That's where I get into trouble, the cold feet start up! I suppose it is much like falling in love with the right person. So, I continue to plan, save and look for seasonal work so I can make it officially official with the plane ticket purchase. I am so enjoying the unfolding and have already begun to feel like a pilgrim..and if I look back a little I can see so much as preperation for this and my current transition. Here's to more coinkidinks- they certainly do keep life interesting!

Much gratitude to all the coinkidinks and kindred spirit/vet/ pilgrims , they are like the yellow arrows pointing to the way! Its funny how I already start to wonder and wander when I am without them!

All the best,
Lisa

 

[fraluchi]

Much gratitude to all the coinkidinks and kindred spirit/vet/ pilgrims , they are like the yellow arrows pointing to the way! Its funny how I already start to wonder and wander when I am without them!

As my signature says "...still learning", who can explain in good English (or Spanish for that sake) to this poor Camino walker what a "Co-inki-dinks" is?
Please prevent inappropriate speculation!?
As far as the thoughts are concerned, once you have walked your first 14-or-so Camino days, you'll come to terms with yourself. Sun, rain, mud, "ampollos", packed albergues, snorers, beautiful countrysides and other (nutty?) pilgrims permitting.

 

[manifestdestinyLISA]

Hi Fraluchi!

Ok so a coinikidink is pretty much a slang/urban dictionary term for coincidence in latin. I like how it sounds because those little happy events/circumstances/reminders are fun, odd and yet familiar!

Here's Urban Dictionary definition:

1.

coinkidink

The Classical Latin pronunciation of "coincidence".

Mehercule, ego quoque veni, vidi, vici! Talis coincidenc est!
(By Hercules, I too came, saw, and conquered! What a coinkidink!)

2.

coinkidink

another word for coincidence: derived from Cianna and Tianna from Burstall, SK, Canada

I saw Traci in the mall! What a coinkidink!

Pace Bene,
Lisa

 

[fraluchi]

coinkidink - The Classical Latin pronunciation of "coincidence".
Mehercule, ego quoque veni, vidi, vici! Talis coincidenc est!

Thanks go to Lisa and other Forum nobles for the "translation".
I am not familiar with Latin either, but have heard Italians quoting "veni, vidi, scappi!" when something wasn't to their taste.
Coincidences are inevitable on the Camino. I suppose that eventually we all would like to write a book (blog ?) or instigate a movie. Like "The Way", these will never convey one's real personal experience and "coinkidink".