Will I ever get around to walking the camino?

[Leoba]

Hello all.

I'm a new Confraternity member. I have wanted to walk the Camino ever since I was 16 and read Walter Starkie's account. I'm, now 33 - somehow I've kept putting it off and now I'm a mother to a 2 year old and starting to feel that my pilgrimage chances are receding into the distance for the time-being. I know some people have completed the pilgrimage with children in tow but I'm not sure that's for us.

But that doesn't stop me being interested! We keep crossing the French paths on family holidays - most recently in Vezelay. I'll get to Santiago one day.

 

[jl]

Leoba,
welcome to the forum, and just remember that when the time is right you will be able to walk the Camino. As time marches on, you will have plenty of time to learn more about the Camino, it's history and culture, but you will also have more knowledge of where you want to begin walking from and how far you want to travel. In the meantime, enjoy these precious years with your little one. Believe me, in 20 years time you will pause and reflect and wonder where those years have gone! It is hard to think it now, but in 20 years time your wee one will be old enought to manage on his/her own (and may even be living independently) and you will still be in your early 50's. I was 55 when I went on my first Camino. Who knows - you may choose to walk the Camino in 10 - 15 years time as a family. What an adventure that would be, and what memories your child would have of a parent willing to lead on such an adventure.
All the best, Janet

 

[Leoba]

Thank you for replying, Janet. You speak (write) wise words!

I think I must be having an itchy feet moment. It comes upon me every now and again. :wink: :mrgreen: The last pilgrimage I undertook was a small one; four days from Norwich to Walsingham (dressed in 14th century clothes - I am a medieval re-enactor). That was only a year before I became pregnant but feels/is a lifetime ago. We are toying with walking some of the pilgrim's way to Canterbury, whilst our son is still light enough to be carried in a sling.

I've been reading about the Camino for half my lifetime now and am slowly building up my library. I was lucky enough to spend a good part of my degree course focusing on 12th century popular religion. Maybe by the time I can spend 6+ weeks on the road I'll have improved my negligable Spainsh skills. In the meantime, I shall lurk and dream and keep reading.

 

[skilsaw]

When the time is right you will have the opportunity to walk the Camino. It's like that.
Love your child in these precious early years. (Take lots of pictures) You won't know how precious a time early childhood is until it is past.

Your walk in medieval garb sounds interesting. We have local societies that re-enact parts of history too.

David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Over the years I have met three mums and children around the age of 8 walking the Camino.

I'm still not sure what the child was getting out of it, though I have to say that one young man he was 10 going on 30) enjoyed the experience though he found the walking hard.

It might be one those experiences that we have as children. At the time we hated it but years later look back and hug ourselves with joy for having experienced it.

I have walked with my (I'm never doing this again with you slow coach) son when he was 21 and 24; a wonderful experience.

In the mean time if you have not already got it, The Great Donkey Walk by Thomas Hinde and Susan Chitty will delight you. There is an update by their daughter Jessica. I have not read the Jesicca version, but have recently ordered it. I loved the original book. Amazon in the UK do used copies of both.

In 1998 I walked with a companion some 300 miles of the Camino. I found that it was not quite the Camino I wanted as I had to walk to his pace and timetable. We started out with my father, of which I have written elsewhere, and the story is in March 2011 CSJ Bulletin.

In 2004 I walked SJPP to Finisterre by myself, pleased only myself, and got the itch out of my system.

Since then until 2010 I have walked some part of the Camino every year. There have been a couple which were undertaken in haste, including the last one in 2010. These have left me with very mixed feelings.

I too have read Starkey's wonderful book. I need to warn you that since my first Camino in 1998 there have been some huge changes and what he writes about has, maybe to a large degree, gone.

That does not diminish the experience and you will find places where you will know that you are in a nexus point. You will have a heightened sense of the here and now but you will "feel" the presence of the millions who have gone before you and those who will come after you.

It does not happen very often but when it does you will know that being a pilgrim is more than a physical journey across topography and putting one foot in front of the other.

One final thought. If your child ever says, I want to go with you, go for it. Don't make huge, ambitious plans, Do what you can and return home. Don't push your child to do more than they are able. The day will come when you will do the Camino exactly as you want to do it but, in the mean time, don't miss the opportunity.

As I found out in 2004 the Camino will still be there for you to do it in your way, in your time, your route, at some later date. It's been there since 813AD; it's not going to disappear.

You will scratch your itch.

 

[Sagalouts]

Hi Leoba
I have seen quite a few people walking with small children,walked a while with one young women pushing her child in a buggy,as a father of 5 have always tried to have my own life too-walked quite long walks with kids in back-packs once with one on the back and one in a front sling and once won a dart competition with a child on my back,what I'm trying to say here is don't put your life on hold Christ only had 5 years in the wilderness you don't have to wait 20,the Camino from Sarria is doable with a pushchair.
I walked with a woman who had waited 10 years to walk the Camino-she was in tears after 5 days because it didn't live up to her expectations-crowds ect so I say go for it-you can always dress up and re-enact the medieval pilgrims who I'm sure walked with children -maybe get a donkey,now thats an idea-maybe I can grab one of my grandchildren
Ian

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Ian,

I refer you also to the Great Donkey Walk.

My advice? Forget it. Not the grandchild. The donkey. :lol:

 

[philsagal]

I'm also new, and came to this thread to introduce myself, and then saw yours.

I am a mother of 2 (4.5 and 3 yo). I love the idea of walking the entire route in one, long, slow shot, but don't love the idea of leaving my boys for 5-6 weeks. I enjoy slow travel, so maybe I'd take longer- who knows? As such, I'll be taking 2 weeks to walk just a portion; for personal evolution, for 2 weeks of 'me' time, to get the itch out, to scope out all of it. And for now, I'm satisfied with this idea. I know others seem to do it, but I wouldn't dream of taking my boys at their age. This time, and probably the next few until they're much older, the trip is for me. If I were to bring them, I'd spend my time fetching, and answering a zillion questions. My sons are very good kids, but even very good kids have tons of energy and curiousity buzzing in MY ears.

All this to say, is doing a portion of the walk an option for you? Just to get a taste...and for YOU.

 

[duncan pm]

I am sure that time, tide and circumstance will converge and it will happen when it best should.
Neither the camino nor the yearning for it will disappear.
To undertake selected parts sounds enticing.
It is, after all, the journey not the destination that is the quest.
You are already there.