I'm waiting for a call

[m108]

I walked over 1000 km so far, and I've never been in Santiago. I am waiting to "call"me. Camino "calling me" the whole year, for Santiago could not feel that I'm ready. Does anyone have a similar experience? Wait for the right feeling or decide and go?

 

[Aidan21]

Hi M108,
Is Santiago the destination? Or is the destination meeting others, getting to know who we really are, understanding our place and that of others in this dance of life that we are all taking part in. By all means go to Santiago if you get 'the call'; get wet in Galicia, enjoy the sights and sounds of the journey, but the journey is more than the destination. Enjoy the journey no matter where it takes you and be open to all that you might learn about who you are and what is important in this life.
Aidan

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

I walked over 1000 km so far, and I've never been in Santiago. I am waiting to "call"me. Camino "calling me" the whole year, for Santiago could not feel that I'm ready. Does anyone have a similar experience? Wait for the right feeling or decide and go?

Don't wait for the cal, and come to Santiago. Meet some wonderful people along the way.
Wish you well and I hope that you will come to Santiago, Peter.

 

[t2andreo]

Many of us have learned through direct experience that, "The Journey, IS The Destination."

In fact, my wife had a professional calligrapher write that out in large letters, then framed as a gift to me on completing my first Camino. Evidently, I passed that comment to her on a Face Time call. She took it as a very profound assessment of what the Camino meant.

It is on my wall where I can see it on rising every morning and be inspired all over again.

The short version is: "Just do it!" We look forward to helping you realize your dream.

I hope this helps.

 

[bsewall]

Maybe, your question is the call - something that needs to be answered.

A suggestion - I noticed the closest you have come to Santiago on the Camino Frances is Astorga. Maybe this time start in Astorga and walk to Foncebadon and the Cruz de Ferro. And maybe there the call will become a little clearer. I found that the energy, the spiritual force carrying pilgrims toward Santiago, becomes very strong around the Cruz de Ferro and the towns just beyond it. Maybe you can just let that energy carry you west.

Buen Camino

 

[KinkyOne]

I kinda know what you mean @m108 although I've been walking through Santiago three times already. Note: "through", because that's not my goal. Nor can I say that Atlantic ocean is my goal. It's just that when I come to the sea there's no walking possible anymore

I think last two comments gave at least some (good) tiny parts to answer your question. Maybe crowds on Camino Frances put you away from continuing past Astorga, maybe commercialization of pilgrimage in SdC itself helped also. But as already said you'll know that once getting there and be able to put all the pieces together. And as you well know there are ways to find solitude even in the crowd

Also there are less walked Caminos to Santiago. You've told me that Meseta is your love which I more than understand, but I would recommend Sanabres nevertheless. Beautiful Camino with much less people and the infrastructure is very good.

Ultreia!

 

[Robo]

Good answers above.......

Just Go.......

Or you might be waiting a long time

Personally....my Camino had very little to do with Santiago (the city). Apart from Mass at the Cathedral, I didn't get much out of Santiago itself. Muxia though? ......different thing all together.

The call was to the Camino. And as others have said, the Camino, the journey itself, for many people is actually the destination. I felt I had 'fulfilled' my Camino expectations after about three weeks of walking. Any section of the Camino could have helped me reach that. Well maybe apart from the final 100. That was just too busy for much inward reflection.

I called my Blog 'In Search of Santiago'

I first found him.....and me.....walking alone, just West of Granon, on a beautiful sunny day. And a couple more times after that

He wasn't in Santiago at all, but with me the whole journey... I just had to look.....

Afterthoughts: All IMHO....

1. I don't think the sense of fulfilment a pilgrim gets from walking the Camino has anything to do with how far they walk, where they start, where they finish, or the burden they carry. It comes from 'how' they walk.
2. Every day I walked, I walked as if it might be my last. It could have been, due to injury. And I was thankful for each day I managed to walk. (Walking injured was probably a blessing. It slowed me down and made me thankful for just being there).
3. The Camino really is a reflection of life itself, as you have probably found. Many people 'get' that. I know people half my age whose sense of happiness and fulfilment I could never reach if I lived to be 100 years old. Because it's not the number of years you live that determine these things, it's how you live the years you have..... Same with the Camino Make every kilometre count....

P.S. Just reflecting on the title of this thread.

I spent the first fifty years of my life 'waiting' for this, 'waiting' for that..... What a waste. I now spend my time 'looking'.........and 'finding'.........

 

[Jenyat53]

I think 'waiting' can be overrated. None of us know what tomorrow brings.
IMHO it would be a shame to have regrets of missed opportunities.
'Carpe diem' makes sense to me.
I expected little from Santiago itself and was completely astounded by my experience in a whole range of ways.
I ended up in Muxia after the best 29km of my Camino, walking alone through drizzle for the whole day seeing not a single other pilgrim.
Best wishes with your decision making. It is completely personal and the choices you make will be the right ones for you.

 

[SYates]

Perhaps you are just afraid to arrive? Then it might help you to know that the Camino/pilgrimage never stops, even after you have been to Santiago. Buen Camino, SY

 

[m108]

Good answers above.......


I spent the first fifty years of my life 'waiting' for this, 'waiting' for that..... What a waste. I now spend my time 'looking'.........and 'finding'.........

Thank you @Robo and @KinkyOne - fortunately, my waiting is not completely static - I "wait" for a way I walk on Camino and enjoy it. I can feel the beauty of the walk, peace, freedom, contemplation, integration with the world and with myself .... but many asked me, "but in Santiago you have not been ?????". And now I ask myself.

 

[m108]

Perhaps you are just afraid to arrive? Then it might help you to know that the Camino/pilgrimage never stops, even after you have been to Santiago. Buen Camino, SY

maybe

 

[jmcarp]

Perhaps you are just afraid to arrive? Then it might help you to know that the Camino/pilgrimage never stops, even after you have been to Santiago. Buen Camino, SY

I was thinking the same thing. Perhaps Santiago, as the traditional pilgrim destination, represents the "end" and m108 is not ready for her Camino adventure to be "over."

 

[zzotte]

I think you missed the call, if are thinking about if call will ever come it's already calling you and waiting your answer

Zzotte

 

[lovingkindness]

....Then it might help you to know that the Camino/pilgrimage never stops, even after you have been to Santiago....

 

[Dutch]

Maybe you just really like Burgos

 

[m108]

Maybe you just really like Burgos

quite true! Burgos + Meseta = Heaven (almost)

 

[t2andreo]

Someone wrote me to ask what the framed calligraphed sentiment looked like. Here is an "in situ" photo. Sorry about the glare. You get the idea...

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Someone wrote me to ask what the framed calligraphed sentiment looked like. Here is an "in situ" photo. Sorry about the glare. You get the idea...

View attachment 23832

It is so true.
Wish you well, Peter.

 

[Jan Nieuwland]

Hi m108,

I don't know about the call... maybe you just give me your number and I will give you your call
However, I do very much regonise your remarks on not arriving in Santiago.
My first camino, I arrived in Santiago, it was emotional, but there was no satifaction in arriving in Santiago itself.
I remember the last 50 km to Santiago where like ; not wanting to arive...
Also for the last two years, I walk in the direction, but not arriving and this year, I will start from Logroño, but my mind already tries to find escapes, like ; lets walk to Oviedo, and not to Santiago, may be later ....
I think it is about the parallel between camino walkin and life itself... one does not want to end .
Maybe that is also reason why so many people want to walk on to Finisterre, one does not want to stop.
But at the ocean you must stop... or swim
I would say; just start walking, and when you get to near to Santiago, decide to walk to Rome
Buen camino,
Jan

 

[m108]

Thanks @Jan Nieuwland

 

[Kiwi-family]

What *do* you have a call to?

You've made me think about my arrivals in Santiago.
First one with the whole family and father-in-law (ie walking in a big group) after walking only from Astorga and taking over two weeks to do it and wearing just normal clothes and not feeling particularly pilgrim-ish.....but a fine mist surrounded the cathedral as we approached fairly early in the morning and it was surreal. We felt immensely moved (even my husband who didn't want to go to a catholic mass!) during the service and the older kids felt they had achieved something momentous!
Next time was just me and the four youngest kids and we tried to not even look at the cathedral because we were walking on out again the next day to Finisterre. By the time we got back from there (third time into Santiago) we had walked 1,500km on that trip, the last three days had been pouring with rain, we had contemplated taking a bus but resisted the urge and now were grateful but it was all so anticlimactic. Plus, one kid had argued his way through the last bit of forest and all four were arguing as we walked up the hill to the plaza. We took victorious photos anyway;-) (but my favourites from that trip are the pics on the beach at Finisterre). We were late for mass but the kids snuck in to watch the botufumeiro swing while I guarded our packs - the door got accidentally wedged open and I witnessed the spectacle again and got a lump in my throat (I think it's the singing) and tears stung my eyes....and I wasn't even really in there! Then we went to mass at night and it was long and boring and a mistake!
Fourth time into Santiago was last year with my husband having come from Porto to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We spent most of the morning walking with two American guys we'd been with since Ponte de Lima, but we found we were far ahead of them at one stage so stopped and stole kisses til they caught us up and we finished together. It seemed fitting. We parted for the morning but ended up together again at mass. This time I felt no emotion whatsoever, but one of our non-religious walking companions was deeply moved.
God willing I will enter Santiago again at the end of June after walking the Via de la Plata. It might be my fifth time, but I have no idea what to expect!