“Invisible threads are the strongest ties.” Friedrich Nietzsche A note upfront: This isn’t an overly interesting post! But it does contain some useful information. Blog: Even though I’ll be across ocean, I still want to stay in touch. At first I thought that I would want to check out, but I think there is going to be so much to take in that sharing a post every night will be helpful to me as I reflect on the day’s journey….
Sobremesa (n): The time spent around the table after lunch or dinner, talking to the people you shared the meal with; time to digest and savor both food and friendship. Urban Dictionary on-line I decided to do a little research on the food of the Galician reigion, an area that is difficult to get to and underdeveloped since it is separated from the rest of the the peninsula by a series of mountain ranges. Galician food depends on fresh ingredients and simple preparations. It sounds very…
“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” Rosalia de Castro Today I don’t know what to write about. I seem to have flushed out a lot of the questions and concerns I have about the trip. I feel like I have taken control of the things I can up front to make the trip as smooth as possible and to alleviate any anxiety. My…
“In the middle of a difficuly lies opportunity. Albert Einstein You knew this one was coming. You can’t be a middle child without telling others that you’re the middle child. But the middle does get a bad rap- it’s got its very own Syndrome. And consider these other mid-way points: Middle School. The forgotten years; Middle Ages. A dirty, violent time. Middle Age. A life crisis. No one wants to be “in the middle of nowhere” or “in the middle…
“If out of sort we stick to portThe medicine of soulA ruby gleam – a tawny dreamThe vintage is the goal” Unknown Before I get on my Way, I wanted to familiarize myself with the history of the areas I will be visiting. One of the places on the itinerary is Porto, Portugal- famous for its port wine. I think it would be tragic if I didn’t try some port, so I decided to find out a little more about…
“I think it’s because most of us talk one way and live another. There are few people who truly, truly walk the talk.” Olympia Dukakis It is the start of May, and it is cold and gray here. It might drizzle. Certainly not the kind of weather that inspires outdoor walking. And the thought of training on the treadmill makes me think of any excuse. This makes my coach and cheerleader, John, shake his head. He insists that I must…
“Religion is belief in someone else’s experience, spirituality is having your own experience.” Deepak Chopra If I haven’t mentioned it already (wink), I highly recommend the movie The Way. It came to me at the right time and led me to this trip in a life-long series of synchronistic events (see Invisible Thread post). When you choose to watch it, it will be the right time for you too. In it, Martin Sheen stars as Tom, an optometrist from Los…
This trip and its significance is becoming very important to me. The pilgrimage seems to be taking on a life of its own. It has already allowed me to take risks and explore new things. It seems to be asking me to look at my experiences through many different lenses. Coincidentally I recently went to the eye doctor who strengthened my prescription, and I updated my glasses (all hail, Costco). Things are a lot clearer and crisper now. If you…
“Give my scallop-shell of quiet, My staff of faith to walk upon, My scrip of joy, immortal diet, My bottle of salvation, My gown of glory, hope’s true gage; And thus I’ll take my pilgrimage.” Walter Raleigh The most iconic symbol of the Way of St. James is the scallop shell. Today, travelers wear a shell around their necks or backpacks to denote themselves as Pilgrims. Coupled with a yellow arrow, the shell is painted on walls, posts, markers, tiles,…
DO IT RIGHT, DO IT WRONG, BUT DO IT. Squeeze your eyes shut and jump. Because a wonderful thing happens then. Your focus shifts from yourself, your nervousness, and your imagined inadequacies to the task at hand. Barbara Sher Yesterday I walked 6.37 miles with John. It was partly cloudy, breezy, and in the mid-50’s. I wore a walking ensemble of everything I would wear on one of the legs of the journey for a test run (yup, including undergarments)….