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Right on brother! I know that dilemma about age, ability and the sheer spiritual need simply to go a-camino. I wonder if there is a rest-house for old ghosts somewhere along the trail!'Patience is a Virtue' is often credited to a pagan source, Cato to the Elder in the third or fourth century. Patience was never before so needed as in these times - both along the Camino and at home. I am still continuing to plan my last full Camino - with age it has become very hard for me to walk the distances required but the upcoming Holy Year is a great allurement tempting me to set out again ... but not at the current risk. History may not help my failing constitution but past events within history contain great comfort. History teaches us that the Camino has been here for more than a 1000 years always offering spiritual enlightenment, camaraderie with fellow pilgrims, a refuge from mundane life, a Get Out of Jail card for some epiphany for others. a challenge, as well as great fun. 'Patience is a Virtue' since the Camino will be here in the next year, in the next decade, also in the next generation. Perhaps I won't be able to walk again, I know that I have affected and influenced my children with the Camino Virus and that they too will one day walk and think there of me.
Certainly we need patience in these times. But to say it was never before so needed is, perhaps, just a bit of an exaggerated. Newlyweds separated by war in 1918 or 1939 probably needed patience at least as much, for a couple of examples. Home by Christmas indeed!Patience was never before so needed as in these times
Thoughts and prayers are with you are with you. Next March is my 70th and I had planned to celebrate in style arriving in Santiago on my birthday. Not to be. Who knows, maybe my 80th. Let's hope not my 90th. However everyone's safety is more important than a pilgrimage. Not just for the pilgrims but more importantly, the local people.'Patience is a Virtue' is often credited to a pagan source, Cato to the Elder in the third or fourth century. Patience was never before so needed as in these times - both along the Camino and at home. I am still continuing to plan my last full Camino - with age it has become very hard for me to walk the distances required but the upcoming Holy Year is a great allurement tempting me to set out again ... but not at the current risk. History may not help my failing constitution but past events within history contain great comfort. History teaches us that the Camino has been here for more than a 1000 years always offering spiritual enlightenment, camaraderie with fellow pilgrims, a refuge from mundane life, a Get Out of Jail card for some epiphany for others. a challenge, as well as great fun. 'Patience is a Virtue' since the Camino will be here in the next year, in the next decade, also in the next generation. Perhaps I won't be able to walk again, I know that I have affected and influenced my children with the Camino Virus and that they too will one day walk and think there of me.
I hope that you are able to for your 90th, but just choose to celebrate in a different way.Let's hope not my 90th
Yes it has definitely done that, BUT As from a Camino perspective, if nothing else, I think that as evil and devastating as it has proven to be, something such as this was VERY definitely needed. The Camino, especially the more popular routes sucb as The Frances and The Portuguese (from Porto to Santiago) could not handle the ever increasing volume of walkers without imploding. The ever increasing tour companies who were encroaching on the Camino needed to be pulled back for a start. Sadly, Walking the Camino was becoming more of something to cross off ones bucket list than a Spiritual walk or a 'Walk to find oneself again'. I run two Camino groups so am not just making up words to fill the page here. I am writing with genuine concern.Isn't life so back-the-front.
If only we knew at 20 years of age what we know at 70.
A curse on this virus. It has stopped us all in our tracks.
Nope. People have got their facts right.It's a state of alarm not emergency! Wish people would get their facts right
I think you'd be surprised at what the Camino is capable of handling.Yes it has definitely done that, BUT As from a Camino perspective, if nothing else, I think that as evil and devastating as it has proven to be, something such as this was VERY definitely needed. The Camino, especially the more popular routes sucb as The Frances and The Portuguese (from Porto to Santiago) could not handle the ever increasing volume of walkers without imploding. The ever increasing tour companies who were encroaching on the Camino needed to be pulled back for a start. Sadly, Walking the Camino was becoming more of something to cross off ones bucket list than a Spiritual walk or a 'Walk to find oneself again'. I run two Camino groups so am not just making up words to fill the page here. I am writing with genuine concern.
Yes it has definitely done that, BUT As from a Camino perspective, if nothing else, I think that as evil and devastating as it has proven to be, something such as this was VERY definitely needed.
The Camino, especially the more popular routes sucb as The Frances and The Portuguese (from Porto to Santiago) could not handle the ever increasing volume of walkers without imploding.
Year | Frances | St. J | Saria |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | 172,243 | 31,058 | 67,419 |
2016 | 176,075 | 33,656 | 71,766 |
2017 | 180,737 | 33,177 | 79,717 |
2018 | 186,199 | 32,899 | 88,509 |
2019 | 189,937 | 33,197 | 96,124 |
The ever increasing tour companies who were encroaching on the Camino needed to be pulled back for a start. Sadly, Walking the Camino was becoming more of something to cross off ones bucket list than a Spiritual walk or a 'Walk to find oneself again'. I run two Camino groups so am not just making up words to fill the page here. I am writing with genuine concern.
This reminds me of a memory that always makes me laugh. We were in a Carl's Jr.fast food hamburger place in a depressing town (in the US). A family near us included an elderly woman who apparently had dementia. She kept asking, "Where am I?" The daughter kept saying Carl's Jr, mom, you're in CARLS JR!" My mom said, "Why don't they tell her she's in Paris?"If at sometime in the far off future I end up with a failing mind and body, just put a photo of lovely Spanish countryside on the wall, and a pair of poles in my hands...
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