The call of the Camino

[sempervivum]

We all know the "Why?" questions.
Why are you doing it? Why now?
For some of us, the answer is clear. They deliberately decided it, and have no problem answering to these questions.
But some, including myself, do not have a straight answer.
Instead, we have signs.
I want to share with you the sing that has brought itself to light for me. I've never asked for it, I've never looked for it. It just came.
If you want to do the same, feel free.
I'm doing it because I believe that there are so many signs so close to us, but somehow we fail to see or to read them.

Last October, a friend of mine came home from a 3-months scholarship overseas. The first time we've met, after a good time together, she said that she cannot stay any longer because she is about to meet a close friend who just returned from a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. It was the second time that month when I heard about a pilgrimage (the first time was about one done by another friend to the Mount Athos).
Several days after that I found myself thinking about what an experience like this could mean. I knew that we are about to meet again in a week or so and I was impatient to ask for details from a direct source. Two weeks later, we met again.
I quickly asked her about what her friend has told her, how was the pilgrimage... I wanted to know all about it! At first, she look very surprised at me as she couldn't understand what I was saying. Then, doubtfully, she said: "I've never heard of that Saint... or whatever you call it! I have no friends doing something such a pilgrimage! What kind of question is that? Are you OK?"

The world stopped for me that moment. It was like I was in the wrong reality, living someone's else life. I knew for sure what she said that day, two weeks ago. I could remember the exact place we stayed, the exact time, the exact words she said. Everything was the way I remembered!
Still...
She is a very reliable person. I knew and I know that she was right, not me. Those things never happened in this reality.
They happened, though. They keep happening in that reality where we do not have access unless we dare to follow the signs.

S

 

[ramonvanderburgt]

"I've never heard of that Saint... or whatever you call it! I have no friends doing something such a pilgrimage! What kind of question is that? Are you OK?"

That's quite a weird experience .

I don't really believe in signs (I think it would indicate that there is something bigger than all of us, like God or something similar) but I do love the idea. I do have this thing where 23 has some meaning to me, whenever I see that number I think 'Hey, there it is again!'

I had never heard of the Camino de Santiago. When I watched the movie Into The Wild (my all time favorite) I started to develop the need to travel by foot, to explore, to go on an adventure. When I saw the movie The Way this turned out to be the perfect opportunity for me. I did some research, found out that some people who were close to my family were doing it this year as well, and I saw a couple of documentaries on TV.

That's what brought me to do the Camino. 2 More months of waiting and the adventure starts!

 

[Pieces]

well, everytime I thought about the Camino I came close to crying so...

but I increasingly find that the more I try to answer anything the more I realise I am not really sure of the question...

if only i could figure...

 

[sempervivum]

well, everytime I thought about the Camino I came close to crying so...

but I increasingly find that the more I try to answer anything the more I realise I am not really sure of the question...

if only i could figure...

You're right.
It is often easier to answer than to ask a question.
The progress is made mostly by those asking questions and not being happy about the answer.