Today was just one of those really special days.
It started like all the others…walking. However, it was cold. Remember last week when I was complaining about near 100 degree temps? This morning, it was 46 degrees. And foggy, so the sun didn’t help.
We hiked to the first town of Foncebadón. Even the local dog looked cold. We headed to the first cafe we could find for hot coffee, and were also welcomed by a fire. Yes, it was that cold in June!
They also had avocado toast. I was such a millennial today.
Warm once again, we continued to walk in the cold and fog. Did I say it was really foggy?
Today we came to Cruz de Ferro, or the Iron Cross. It is the highest point on the Camino and a very famous landmark. The tradition says that a pilgrim carries a stone with them, and when they come to the cross they toss it on the pile as a symbol of letting go.
My rock was given to me (sort of). As a going away gift, my friend and colleague Jim gave me a small boulder that is now in the landscape of my community house at UD. It was a symbol of our time together at CJ. Before leaving for Spain, I chiseled off a small piece, and that’s what I have carried.
As I went up to the cross, I placed my rock with the countless others from pilgrims across the decades and centuries. As is the tradition, it was a symbol of letting go. One of the great graces of the Camino so far has been the ability to let go of what is waiting “back home” and just being present in the moment, walking one step at a time and being open to what God wants to show me in the present moment. It is some of the “Camino spirit” that I hope to carry forth with me.
As I touched the cross, I also thought of all of you…those who are on pilgrimage with me. Not necessarily with me physically in Spain, but with me in spirit along this journey and helping to make this trip a reality. I feel your presence and support and prayers, and I asked God to hear your prayers, especially those I have been carrying with me. Prayers for healing and wholeness, for peace and blessings, for transformation and newness of life. It was a very special moment for me, today.
With the cross being at a high point in the Camino, that means that we are once again in the mountains. And once again, the views were breathtaking and the pictures don’t do them justice. I find it ironic that I didn’t visit any churches today, but I feel like I spent all day in the cathedral of God‘s creation.
Along the way we came upon a food truck, and the woman that runs it lives in a little house behind the trailer. I asked if I could move in with her. She said the winters were pretty rough up there. Maybe I’ll have to look for another mountain home. It was, once again, an opportunity to meet other pilgrims and share stories.
Of course, as they say, what goes up must come down. The second half of our day was a continuous dissent into the village of Molinaseca where we will spend the night.
Tonight, as I write this, my heart is full of gratitude and joy. This has been a recurring theme in my daily reflection on the Camino. I am thankful for this incredible experience and for being able to share it with you. And, I find myself in a place of happiness and joy and contentment as I continue this pilgrimage to Santiago.
Buen Camino!
Fantastic views and telling the story.
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