Surprise surprise

Walking the Camino is a most amazing process. It is full of little surprises and some not so little. I have found that you have to dig deep, very deep sometimes. When you feel you can’t take another step and you want to just collapse you realise no-one else can take the steps for you.... there is no one coming to walk it for you... I dig deeper and pray that my god will take me a step at a time onwards. Then I look up again and there is another vista. Or a smile from a fellow pilgrim encouraging you on. Or the thought of a bed. Any bed. I have quickly gotten over whether it is an Albergue bed with 50 others snoring and farting or a private room. When the private spaces have manifested I am grateful and am surprised to find deep gratitude when it’s shared with others. The very sight of bed excites me! I am often left wondering how I will ever get off the bed the next day and am surprised at my enthusiasm to walk again the next morning! I love the feeling of my legs and body doing it again for me! Over and over for 572 kms so far! Now that surprises me. Who would have thought that was possible? And the biggest surprise is how much I want to walk the walk....day after day.  

Maybe it’s because of the willingness of my fellow pilgrims to research and make suggestions or my willingness to surrender or both but the way is easy for me... I just let go and relax and the way unfolds. That surprises me immensely. It shouldn’t but it does. 

I am surprised at my own agility and ability to negotiate rough or muddy terrain and the triumph that erupts from my very being when the terrain flattens or crests again! I am surprised at my ability to pee in a ditch with all my packs and jackets on! Surprised to find a connection with my youthful body which has thrilled me immensely. 

I am surprised that at 64 I still find navigating tricky relationships difficult. I find my skills in this area lacking. Very lacking sometimes and other times I am surprised at my maturity and growing wisdom in learning to be silent where silence is needed and finding my voice as required to. 

I love feeling joyful. I love it when we are so tired but manage to find the energy to sing each other through pain and exhaustion in to the next village. Surprisingly we get there. 

You can choose to send your backpack on. Having that choice is so wonderful.... choosing to heal your blisters or protect a sore knee is sensible.  Me being sensible surprises me as I SO planned to carry my pack and prove I am a true pilgrim no matter what. I am surprised to find only I make my pilgrim rules and I don’t need to. There are none!