We all were there

[Beverley]

The Camino de Compostela forum http://www.caminodesantiago.me/ is a lovely gathering of pilgrims from around the world. I joined about a month ago only to find that entering the forum is like a family reunion. Every day people are talking about places they have been and things they saw there. What I love about it is that we were all there. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walked the same paths, day after day and year after year seeing the same waymarkers, smelling the same smells, patting the same dogs and taking the same photos.

The Camino gets into your blood. The camino gets into all of us and that make us blood brothers and sisters. What a wonderful community to belong to. The forum and other forums and blogs help us to learn from each other and to teach. We share stories and expectations. We are reminded of places we have been and people we have met there. I am so grateful for having been there and excited about being there again.

The Camino journey, while at first glance is about walking, I have found after walking that it is about the memories, the feelings I felt while there, the food I made and shared with others and the many many laughs I had with people from all around the world.

As Egypt goes into turmoil these past few days, I have my husband turn off the sound on CNN because while I know what is happening, I want to focus on the peace I found on the Camino and have brought back with me. I want to focus on the peace that I still hold in my heart and my head despite the world's ongoing disquiet.

Let's celebrate those of us who bring peace into our lives and continue to celebrate it with the growing number around the world who seek each other out.

 

[Vigdis]

Yes, we were all there.
What a wonderful community to belong to, you say.
I so much agree.

Beautiful words, Bev

 

[sillydoll]

This is an excerpt of a beautiful poem written for the CSJ Bulletin a number of years ago which echos the feeling of being a part of something now, then and in future:

Ultreya Santiago: From the Confraternity of Saint James bulletin No 72 :by Alan Sheppard

The legends of Asturia say
That pilgrim souls still walk The Way;
I too believe that, from today,
O mystic Santiago!

Their presence overwhelms me here,
Those pilgrims who, in every year,
Went forth without concern or fear,
In hope of Santiago!

Not so! I'm here in time and space,
And on this path I take my place
With those of every creed and race
Who go to Santiago!

 

[Hedwig]

Dear Beverly,

I was moved by your message. I am just a pilgrim to be, since I am going to leave the 16th of april. But I feel like a pilgrim already, because of this forum!
Than you Beverly!