Life after the Camino..

[Shefollowsarrows]

I have been home now for a couple weeks after having to end my Camino in Leon due to foot issues. I have not been able to just be happy with walking 244 miles, instead I'm really bummed out that I didn't 'finish'. Replaying all of the things I could've done different or should've done different so I could have finished. Most of all though, adjusting to the real world now and missing the day to day of Camino life. I fell in love with the Camino, and I don't think I will ever be the same going forward. I went into this journey thinking it was a once in a lifetime opportunity/experience for me as I am not a world traveler. But now that I didn't finish, I will be going back next year. Something in my heart tells me though that even after I 'finish', that I will still feel drawn to do it again and again. The spirit of the Camino, the life lessons learned, the connections so easily formed on The Way is something I don't think I will ever get enough of. I've heard this would be addicting, but I never thought it would apply to me...I'm hooked

 

[fortview]

Ha ha! Join the club TammyLynn Well done on getting as far as you did! Don't beat yourself up about not finishing, just think, you'll be able to go back next year. In the meantime you can keep connected through this forum, luckily ,
Buen camino, Helen

 

[TheTinkerBell]

Good on you Tammy! Getting halfway is a bloody good walk for anyone to do. I understand your disappointment, but the upside is you're open to being "called back". You've so much to look forward to from Leon to SdC btw. Great attitude!!

 

[LTfit]

Enhorabuena Tammy! You finished - maybe not what you had expected or had hoped but many would not have been able to accomplish what you did! I too had to curtail one of my Caminos. It is difficult, oh boy can I sympathize but that first day back is incredible. I see a yellow arrow and feel at home. Enjoy the preparation, the Camino will be waiting for you.

 

[Shefollowsarrows]

One thing I did learn was that the Camino gives me what I need, not what I want...

 

[stevenjarvis]

I have been home now for a couple weeks after having to end my Camino in Leon due to foot issues. ...I'm hooked

Congratulations. Be kind to yourself, you deserve it. You have a vision for the future, something you can influence, unlike your past actions. So eliminate the should self talk ! Bon Camino

 

[Olivares]

Tammy Lynn- what happened?

BTW, the Camino has been there for 1,000 years and isn't going anywhere . You have the perfect excuse to go back!! Get well, take in Lessons Learned and use it as a strong motivator! I, too, had to quit in Leon and was devastated about it. However, I feel much wiser and plan to continue, no doubts.

Start planning the return!!

 

[alexwalker]

Welcome to the club! It is a BIG club

 

[jirit]

Hi TammyLynn

I was just thinking about you, wondering where you might be, wondering if you had crossed paths with my wife...

I am sorry to read the news but as you have heard from others, you are not alone.

The camino is already calling you back and I am sure you will return when you are ready.

Buen camino

Regards

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome to the club! It is a BIG club

Indeed it is TammyLynn, you will be back.
No cure, only treatment.

 

[Priscillian]

Tammy, what you have found "addictive" about the Camino is that you have opened up a search inside yourself. You may be back. I hope you are. But in the meantime do think about what it was about the Camino which gave you an insight into what was most important about life, in general, and to you particularly. Was it the symplicity? Was it the ease with which you made friends? Was it the walking in one direction with only one destination in mind? All of these are what the Camino is about. How can you put them into the perspective of your own life?
I personally rarely post here these days for various reasons but you might want to look at
[Ivar removed link to business]

 

[Anniesantiago]

Tammy Lynn, many things can happen along The Way that impact our Camino.
I have felt both joy and sorrow, satisfaction and disappointment, on my many treks.

At the end of each walk, I leave Spain saying, "I'll never return."
And every single time, after a week, or a month,
I find myself making plans for the next Camino.

The Call of the Camino is strong.
We hear it even in our dreams.

The Camino, for me, is healing magic,
and healing can sometimes be painful.

The Camino forces us to examine ourselves by watching others.
We see the ugly of ourselves in the self-centered or rude actions of a few pilgrims.
We see the beauty of ourselves in the amazing grace and kindness of the majority.

The Camino rips off our masks and makes us all equal.
It doesn't matter our religion, or politics, or our national heritage.
Language is just a meaningless word.
We manage to communicate with all.

The Camino brings the real "us" to our attention,
so we can make changes;
it shows us our weaknesses,
so we can work on growing stronger.
It shows us our strengths
so we can enforce them and rejoice in them.

The Camino sometimes causes us to lose our way, to become lost.
And then it shows us a new way,
which isn't always the way we would have chosen.
Sometimes we are surprised!

New pilgrims, old pilgrims, anyone with adventure in their heart
hears the Camino calling.
And when we hear the Camino call,
there's no option but to answer;
and to walk the dusty road...
again and again and again.

You are one of us now.
See you on The Way!
Buen Camino.

 

[Shefollowsarrows]

Tammy Lynn- what happened?

BTW, the Camino has been there for 1,000 years and isn't going anywhere . You have the perfect excuse to go back!! Get well, take in Lessons Learned and use it as a strong motivator! I, too, had to quit in Leon and was devastated about it. However, I feel much wiser and plan to continue, no doubts.

Start planning the return!!

 

[Shefollowsarrows]

You are all so kind, and give me a lot of positive feedback to contemplate. I was in tears when I made my decision to stop in Leon. I had several blisters and I thought I had a broken toe. I work in pharmacy, on my feet all day, I needed to listen to my feet and play it smart. However, I got home and within a week I was all healed and upset I didn't just take a few rest days instead. I wasn't due to fly back until the 21st if this month so I had plenty of time
I enjoyed the simplicity for sure. I've never gone a day without doing my hair and putting on makeup since I was 17 years old. I was so free on the Camino to just be me. No makeup, no designer clothing, no fancy car, just me. And being me was enough. I was loved for who I was on the inside. I was seen as beautiful without all that stuff! I loved meeting people and sharing my story with them and them with me. I heard stories from people who haven't even shared those details with their closest friends. It was really healing for me and them. The Camino captures something on that path that isn't found in real life. I wanted to bottle it up and take it home with me, but that wasn't possible, so I must return. I will go back with my lessons learned however and that includes a much lighter backpack!

 

[alexwalker]

Maybe you found/saw a glimpse of real life?

 

[val255]

I have been home now for a couple weeks after having to end my Camino in Leon due to foot issues. I have not been able to just be happy with walking 244 miles, instead I'm really bummed out that I didn't 'finish'. Replaying all of the things I could've done different or should've done different so I could have finished. Most of all though, adjusting to the real world now and missing the day to day of Camino life. I fell in love with the Camino, and I don't think I will ever be the same going forward. I went into this journey thinking it was a once in a lifetime opportunity/experience for me as I am not a world traveler. But now that I didn't finish, I will be going back next year. Something in my heart tells me though that even after I 'finish', that I will still feel drawn to do it again and again. The spirit of the Camino, the life lessons learned, the connections so easily formed on The Way is something I don't think I will ever get enough of. I've heard this would be addicting, but I never thought it would apply to me...I'm hooked

We also walked up to Leon...We are doing the camino in 3 stages because we dont have all the necessary days to do the whole thing at once. 1st stage was SJPP to Logroño, 2nd stage Logroño to Leon and next year we arrive to Santiago. It's actually turned out well because I always feel we are returning. When it's over....then I think I will miss it. We will be starting on 8/29/14. We just may run into eachother.

 

[vicrev]

Go TammyLynn !!.........keep smiling..... .......Vicrev

 

[Riseson]

The "call of the Camino" is very strong. You will go back and finish where you left off. Or maybe you'll start at the beginning again! But just as it gives you what you need, not what you want, it also follows you back to your regular life in so many ways. I was like you- never left home without hair done or makeup. What a wonderful and freeing experience the Camino was- and really changes perspective on what's actually important in the world. I wish you the best of luck and Buen Camino!

 

[Pruden]

Yes Camino de Santiago is very adicted!
About 15 years ago me and my wife travel by car from San Juan pie de port to Santiago in five days.

And i tell you the longing to go back and walk has been constant , now that my kids are grown up is for me time to do it .

I have travelled from Sarria to Santiago last year and next week if my knees allow me it would be León to Sarria.

Camino really touch people's life and we get adicted in a good way.

I'm 60 year's old and longing to have time to do Camino Frances all the way through or get retired healthy enough.

Buen Camino a todos.

 

[freeflyer123]

Hi TammyLynn. Yes, I am sure you will go back. Don't see the fact that you ended the Camino earlier than you had hoped as being a defeatist. It's rather that you weren't meant to finish this year. Just think of the fun you will having planning to go on next time Although I rode the Camino with my husband, I must admit to wanting to give up more than once. Knee and hip problems, coupled with the hills, made riding very difficult at times. He just kept saying "it's up to you" and I just couldn't made such a decision for the both of us. I am glad that we did carry on and made it to Santiago. However, as we arrived the day of the dreadful train crash, everything went downhill from then on and we just wanted to get home as soon as possible. Our original plan was to go on the Finistere, and then even try riding all the way - at least to Santander where we could have caught a ferry. Now that we are both back home, we realise that we haven't "finished" our Camino by any means and are now looking forward to doing it again. I agree with everyone above - the Camino gets under your skin and keeps calling you. And to think I once wanted to have my holiday on a Cruise ship! Nothing compares with walking, or cycling, a Camino.

 

[suekenney]

It's said that we each have our own Camino. Be at peace for what you have had the luxury of experiencing. It's not about the end, it's about the journey anyway. How many times do we say that as pilgrims? Blessings peregrina.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It's not about the end, it's about the journey anyway.

It is about both, more likely, and the pilgrim gets to choose which one. If you choose "the end," then you can be disappointed when you don't finish. If you choose "the journey," then you can be disappointed that you don't get a compostela. In terms of logical axioms, since both choices lead to disappointment, they are equal to the same thing, so they are equal to each other!

You break that circularity by DECIDING that either outcome is completely OK. It is a matter of accepting life rather than trying to control it. Failure exists only when there is a yardstick around that has failure on it. Select a different yardstick, one without a failure marking.

Euclid's first common notion is this: Things which are equal to the same things are equal to each other. That's a rule of mathematical reasoning and its true because it works - has done and always will do. In his book Euclid says this is self evident. You see there it is even in that 2000 year old book of mechanical law it is the self evident truth that things which are equal to the same things are equal to each other.
Abraham Lincoln

 

[Olivares]

I wanted to bottle it up and take it home with me, but that wasn't possible, so I must return. I will go back with my lessons learned however and that includes a much lighter backpack!

BINGO! In that statement right therein lies the clue as to what happened. Your Camino was ALWAYS meant to be a series with a pause.

 

[JimandCarolyn]

I have been home now for a couple weeks after having to end my Camino in Leon due to foot issues. I have not been able to just be happy with walking 244 miles, instead I'm really bummed out that I didn't 'finish'. Replaying all of the things I could've done different or should've done different so I could have finished. Most of all though, adjusting to the real world now and missing the day to day of Camino life. I fell in love with the Camino, and I don't think I will ever be the same going forward. I went into this journey thinking it was a once in a lifetime opportunity/experience for me as I am not a world traveler. But now that I didn't finish, I will be going back next year. Something in my heart tells me though that even after I 'finish', that I will still feel drawn to do it again and again. The spirit of the Camino, the life lessons learned, the connections so easily formed on The Way is something I don't think I will ever get enough of. I've heard this would be addicting, but I never thought it would apply to me...I'm hooked

TammyLynn, we had to end our first Camino at Fromista last Fall due to knee and foot issues, came home healed and returned this Spring to continue from Fromista to Santiago. Now we are "replaying" all that we would like to do again and/or differently. We learned from our experience that we are never "finished." Buen Camino

 

[zakosdad]

Tammy I am a retired pharmacist, thought 50+ years in pharmacy was some sort of camino training - it wasn't - the beauty of the camino is the simplicity. The pharmacies
are so hectic these days with customer demands and short staff - you will return to the camino. Don't beat yourself up - you did what was right at the moment. So congratulations
on walking your first stage - good luck planning your next stage. Buen Camino
for a different perspective on the camino check out my blog http://dalenarlene.blogspot.com

 

[stevenjarvis]

I feel exactly the same Tammy accept I could not leave when I got hurt -I only did 700 of the 800kms and it drives me to try again. I also miss the walk itself

You "only" did 700 of the 800kms ! Fantastic, and you're planning more, what an achievement. Congratulations.

 

[Pygar]

Remember, it's not the destination, it's the journey. I started in Leon and walked to Santiago, now all I want to do is get back on the Camino and start from St. Jean! I am planning on a 2014 walk, this time with my wife. Friends in Santiago asked if I would do it again, I said no. Once on the plane back to the USA all I wanted to do it go back. I don't think my wishes to be on the Camino will ever end, no matter how many time I walk it.

 

[Saint Mike II]

I have been home now for a couple weeks after having to end my Camino in Leon due to foot issues. I have not been able to just be happy with walking 244 miles, instead I'm really bummed out that I didn't 'finish'. Replaying all of the things I could've done different or should've done different so I could have finished. Most of all though, adjusting to the real world now and missing the day to day of Camino life. I fell in love with the Camino, and I don't think I will ever be the same going forward. I went into this journey thinking it was a once in a lifetime opportunity/experience for me as I am not a world traveler. But now that I didn't finish, I will be going back next year. Something in my heart tells me though that even after I 'finish', that I will still feel drawn to do it again and again. The spirit of the Camino, the life lessons learned, the connections so easily formed on The Way is something I don't think I will ever get enough of. I've heard this would be addicting, but I never thought it would apply to me...I'm hooked

Hola Tammy - I too was unable to complete my Camino (the Via de la Plata) and whilst I am still having problems with my foot I am still hoping to return next year and walk from Salamanca. It would appear that I too have been bitten by the "Camino bug". Am off to my Spanish class in about an hour. I hope you will be able to return and walk the final 400 km ( 250 miles). Buen Camino

 

[Pieces]

well, if the Camino never ends there can be no such thing as life after the Camino.

Which for some reason made me this of this piece from the Gospel of Thomas

The Kingdom of God is Within you and All Around You

Not usually the "Bible"-quoting sort, but it does strike me as a fitting description of...

 

[compliance51]

We all become "addicted" to the camino. It pulls us back like an invisible lover We are changed forever and not afraid to be alone because of the spirit and friends we find walking on the camino... all in the same club

 

[pilgrim b]

We all become "addicted" to the camino. It pulls up back like an invisible lover We are changed forever and not afraid to be alone because of the spirit and friends we find walking on the camino... all in the same club

Yes I would describe it as: We are all brothers and sisters of the Camino!

 

[StuartM]

The simplicity of everything you need being on your back and everyone you know being in one room at the same time is hard to beat and harder to find elsewhere.

And to add to the tales of incomplete Caminos, I met an Irish woman last year who had been walking the Frances for four years in four day stretches at a time. I saw her outside Astorga, she reckoned she had another year before she reached Santiago.