Finding the Words

I'm not really experiencing the reverse culture shock that I thought I might upon returning to the USA. Maybe it is because I didn't jump back into my old job and routines and the busyness of my life a year ago. It felt wonderful to go to church at First Pres and be welcomed by so many friends. A lot of people had been following me daily on my blog and were eager to talk with me about it. In some ways they probably had more contact with me through my words and pictures than they did when I was at home. I feel blessed to have such a loving community of people in my life.

I still find it difficult to try to articulate exactly what the Camino experience was like. It really is such a unique thing to be caught up in a flow of people from around the world all walking towards the same place, surrendering themselves to whatever the day brings as far as people and circumstances are concerned. Their lives outside the Camino have shaped them but in some ways are not relevant. The present moment is so much more important and dominate. There is plenty of time to talk and listen to anyone who comes your way. There is no other agenda besides making your way forward and finding some food and drink as needed and a place to sleep. So simple. 

The Camino strips away so many of the barriers which with we normally surround ourselves. We often conscientiously or unconsciously select who we want to befriend or have in our lives by criteria relating to economic status, social standing, ethnicity, age, appearance, education, tastes and affiliations. None of that really comes into play on the Camino. It might determine who you end up connecting closely with, but none of them matter for initial encounters. We are all Pilgrims first, all walking the same path to Santiago. Everyone has a story, everyone is broken, everyone is on a journey. That is our common bond. Our simple humanity. We need each other along the way. We're in this together even if our lives back in our homes are radically different. All day long we bless each other with the words Buen Camino.