Walk

The prior two days have been of recovery and reflection.

The prior two mornings I have spent considerable time in the square in which you finish the Camino. It is quite a different experience mid morning than 9 at night. Hundreds of pilgrims complete their trek of varying distances every hour.

Some are emotional while others are stoic. Young and old, groups and individuals all hold a look of accomplishment and relief. Each of us carry a variety of reasons to undertake such a pilgrimage. Sometimes, there is no reason at all.

An attraction to the Camino we all share, it is that which brought us here. We bring our baggage; emotional, spiritual, and tangible to start down the road looking for answers. We hope and pray for moments of insight and clarity.

Each mile wears through the layers of stress, heartache, ego, and the walls we put up to protect ourselves. Like the soles of a well-worn shoes, eventually you wear through all the layers and you see your true self.

When stripped of these layers, you realize you aren’t looking for answers at all. The answer has always been there. The answer is you.

Humans are equipped with the amazing power of adaptation. The walls we build, and the baggage we carry is all an adaptation to protect our egos and psyches. We build walls and carry the baggage as we don’t know how to deal with whatever we are faced with at the time.

We carry it around looking for reasons why something happened the way it did and answers in how to deal with it. The truth is, we will often never know why or how to deal with it. We simply need to let it go, for it is in the past and no longer a continued threat.

Letting go is the most powerful form of healing. In letting go you don’t need to understand it and you don’t need to know why. You only need to recognize you’re holding on to something that served to protect you at a moment in life, but now only serves to hinder.

At this point you may wonder what “it” is. “It” can be the loss of a loved one to early in their life. “It” can be a divorce, the loss of a job, or other major loss. “It” can literally be anything you hold in a negative light.  What “it” is doesn’t matter. It’s anything that serves to hinder you from allowing your true self to shine, to experience joy, true happiness, to love deeply..

I came to the Camino with little expectation. I just came to walk. What I received is far more that I could have imagined.