frauunterwegs
Christina
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Portugues from Lisbon: July-August 2023
It’s day 4 for me on my first Camino, and so much goes through my head already. I started in Lisbon on Friday.
Today I’m taking a bus, to skip 20km. Not because I think this part is worth skipping - I actually appreciated the tough stretches and roads for making me enjoy the paths in between even more, and mirroring my inner chaotic landscape. But because my feet and ankles are ringing the alarm bells, and I started too ambitiously in the first days. I couldn’t stay where I am another night as everything is booked out.
Still… it feels like cheating. I took pride in the idea of connecting two places with my steps, and now it feels like defeat so early on.
A friend replied to this “Have some compassion while feeling pride, they are not contradictory”. That was such a lovely message to receive. Self compassion is something I have brushed away often - “ah come on I can do it”.
I know I could come back here tomorrow and walk anyway, but I’d rather just head on than spending more motorized time and logistics. And I’m making peace with that now.
This free morning allowed me a chat with the owner of the albergue I stayed at, which made it all worth it. Yesterday, I arrived half an hour before opening, tired and in need of a shower although I could have just sat at the cafe for a bit longer, thinking that’s surely not a problem. Now I got a whole different perspective on how he’s dedicating his entire time to the albergue and pilgrims, how precious those few alone moments between cleaning after departing guests and welcoming arriving ones are. I too quickly fell a bit into a self-centered journey, and this broadened my view again for the complex lives I’m crossing paths with.
All this was a bit of a slap in the face, the distances and the sun and the pain and the realizations, and I’m grateful for it… I’ll find my rhythm.
I guess this was just a spilling of words out there, maybe it resonates with someone. Thank you
Bom Caminho
Today I’m taking a bus, to skip 20km. Not because I think this part is worth skipping - I actually appreciated the tough stretches and roads for making me enjoy the paths in between even more, and mirroring my inner chaotic landscape. But because my feet and ankles are ringing the alarm bells, and I started too ambitiously in the first days. I couldn’t stay where I am another night as everything is booked out.
Still… it feels like cheating. I took pride in the idea of connecting two places with my steps, and now it feels like defeat so early on.
A friend replied to this “Have some compassion while feeling pride, they are not contradictory”. That was such a lovely message to receive. Self compassion is something I have brushed away often - “ah come on I can do it”.
I know I could come back here tomorrow and walk anyway, but I’d rather just head on than spending more motorized time and logistics. And I’m making peace with that now.
This free morning allowed me a chat with the owner of the albergue I stayed at, which made it all worth it. Yesterday, I arrived half an hour before opening, tired and in need of a shower although I could have just sat at the cafe for a bit longer, thinking that’s surely not a problem. Now I got a whole different perspective on how he’s dedicating his entire time to the albergue and pilgrims, how precious those few alone moments between cleaning after departing guests and welcoming arriving ones are. I too quickly fell a bit into a self-centered journey, and this broadened my view again for the complex lives I’m crossing paths with.
All this was a bit of a slap in the face, the distances and the sun and the pain and the realizations, and I’m grateful for it… I’ll find my rhythm.
I guess this was just a spilling of words out there, maybe it resonates with someone. Thank you
Bom Caminho
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