Besides the "head and feet, " "I guess it all comes down to where your heart is", I can hear my late father's voice saying to me as a teen. I pray that I may stay focused on my own personal reasons for attempting the pilgrimage. Pride goeth before a fall and I hope to be humbled along the way without a fall, literally. Some people always look for the easy the path, but only the one wearing the shoes knows their own footprints. I can only imagine that the honeymooning couple mentioned was collecting souvenirs for memories of their honeymoon in the same way that my son collects stamps from National Parks on our camping adventures.
I have a clergy friend who is interested in going at the same time I do, but physical limitations will not allow her to walk. If she goes, she will not travel by foot, but her heart will be in the right place. No shame there. A certificate is not the real reward.
Many of pilgrims (I`m one of those) think that this "little paper sheet" means nothing. One old pilgrim can walk from the other side of the world for, said, four months, but when leaving Monte del Gozo albergue fall to the floor and break an ankle. This pilgrim have not rigth to get the Compostela.
A group of students start the Camino at Sarria, sending theirs packs by taxi, taking a whole week to arriving to Santiago, because they are partyng each nigth. When they get their Compostela, they go to a bar to continue the celebration.
Who deserve the Compostela?
But, of course, this old pilgrim, whom is coming out the Hospital, is much more a pilgrim than the students.
Dont give importance to that "little paper sheet" mates. It´s OK to get it, but its only a souvenir.
Treasure the memories, the feelings, the frienship, the laughs and tears of pain and joy. THIS is the "Real Compostela", I think. And nobody can deny your rigth to have it, if you feel you deserve it.
My apologies if the "speech" seems scholastic. or arrogant, it is not my intention, but my english is a little bit limitated; sometimes it is difficult for me to express the full sense of what I want to say.
Buen Camino.