Coping with change after Sarria - wisdom needed please

[Dilbin]

I know how very fortunate I am to have the health, time, and money to walk for 4 weeks on the Camino Frances. And recognise that it is as valid to walk from Sarria as from anywhere else. But am finding it increasingly difficult not to become irritated; by large noisy groups, by cyclists swooping by without warning, by litter, by people playing music....
I don't want to walk into Santiago tomorrow morning holding these negative feelings. I know that my body is tired, and I'm missing the easier camaraderie of the earlier days. But would welcome any advice to help me find a better state.
And, BTW, thank you for all the wisdom and advice posted on this forum.

I completely empathise with you and it certainly can be difficult to shed those negative emotions. I sincerely hope you are able as you arrive in Santiago. When I finished Del Norte in 19 I deliberately avoided what I would deem "madness" and walked many kms of alternative detours until the last 11kms. Each journey is our own and unique and how we feel is also unique to us. If I can offer a suggestion. Begin your last day as early as possible and avoid some of the crowds. Hopefully you enjoy your last day. Daniel

 

[SabsP]

Next time when I have the privilege of visiting Santiago de Compostela again I will :

Have a delicious breakfast at Cafe Tertulia.
Go to Mass at San Agustin and hopefully listen to an inspiring sermon from one of the priests.
Then a stroll to the nearby mercado and observing how the locals go on with their daily life.
Reading a book at Alameda Park.
Lunch at San Clemente.
Siesta in my hostal.
Then when the bigger groups have left , a visit to Praza Obradoiro and the cathedral.
Then maybe shopping for shoes...
Some pintxos at Bispo.
Nightcap at O Boneco or Casa das Crechas.

What is not to like?!

 

[Kelly Ann]

But @Kelly Ann ... Barbara said she didn't want to hold on to these negative feelings and specifically asked forum members to contribute advice to help her find a better state. I'm sure she has taken those pieces of advice that she has found useful.

But Anamcara she doesn't have to hold on to them and her desire to do so holds merit, and one of the best ways to release them are expressing them and having the freedom to do so without having arrogant and "holier than thou" replies written back to her making implications that something is wrong with her because of these very feelings.

 

[Former member 99290]

But Anamcara she doesn't have to hold on to them and her desire to do so holds merit, and one of the best ways to release them are expressing them and having the freedom to do so without having arrogant and "holier than thou" replies written back to her making implications that something is wrong with her because of these very feeling.

I can’t agree with your characterisations.
In any case, and more importantly, Barbara has spoken for herself …

Thank you for so many helpful and thoughtful replies. Bradypus's almost instant response made me feel much less of the grumpy old lady and I treasure Mspath's beautiful quote from Rilke. Peter 462's story reminded me that the Camino often provides in unexpected ways.

 

[Kelly Ann]

Maybe it's not your experience. But that doesn't mean it's wrong.
The way after Saria just is. Santiago just is.
We all have different reactions to what we meet there - it's our minds who make it good or awful, not Santiago itself. And minds can be changed. At least mine has. Maybe yours is more fixed.

Sometimes the world offers us something we don't like. Not to paste a false happy face there. And there's nothing wrong with expressing that.

But jumping from a our individual unpleasant experiences to everything and everyone is a leap too far.

To hate this part of the camino (or Santiago) in toto because a few things were a turn-off is is an making the whole barrel rotten because of a few rotten fruit.

And offering the opinion that "the last 100km of the camino is a touristic rip-off" as a universal truth is just plain wrong. Because it's not the whole truth at all, or even close. Yes, it's really busy sometimes, and there's the usual stuff like that. Overwhelm may be one person's experience. But there is much else besides - as many posts here have described.

And whether or not it is or is not yours or someone else's experience, it is wrong. Many things can change in the world besides our own reaction. That's right, we all have different reactions whether things "are or "are not" AND we also get to express our reactions without having to read comments that infer a "put down" because we're feeling this way. "Minds can be changed" as well as much more than "minds can be changed." One does not discount the other. You need to stay flexible in YOUR mind to accomodate someone else's thoughts or mind. Everyone is not going to think or feel like you and that's okay. Yes, now you're getting it when you say, "Sometimes the world offers us something we don't like. Not to paste a false happy face there. And there's nothing wrong with expressing that." That's exactly what I'm saying. However, - and I'm not sure if you've clearly stated this - but when you say, "But jumping from a our individual unpleasant experiences to everything and everyone is a leap too far," I think you got it wrong and don't agree that the OP is "jumping from a our, etc." just because they didn't have a pleasant experience somewhere and want to express it. That's what's wrong and those are wrong implications. No, I think you're exagerating. Just because the OP or anyone in the post expresses their dislike with some part of something or, as you put it, "To hate this part of the camino (or Santiago) in toto because a few things were a turn-off is is an making the whole barrel rotten because of a few rotten fruit" doesn't mean they are writing off the entire experience and they should not be put down for it. No where did I see "hate" "toto" and some of the other verbage you have chosen to use here. Those are your words and not the posters. Whether that person's opinion is wrong to you doesn't mean they don't have the freedom to post it if that is the way they felt, and many posters here have ALSO described feeling exactly the same way so there are those on BOTH sides, not just what you have stated above.

 

[Tincatinker]

Members may also feel, as I do, that this thread has run its course. The OP has completed her Camino and found some contentment.
The discussions of semantics neither contribute nor detract from that reality.
I’ll close this now