Reflections on the Camino

I was honored when Laurie, of The Camino Provides, asked me to write about what “the Camino provides” meant to me. In all honesty, I put this task off for a long time. I didn’t believe that I could actually put pen to paper and articulate how much the Camino provided me. But, when I sat down…

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Camino Afterthoughts

I miss the Camino every day.  Maybe it’s because I’m reading Cheryl Strayed’s “Wild,” or maybe it’s because I’m in Slovakia staring at the Tatra Mountains while they tease me.  “Come climb me, come play,” they say. It’s been over a month since I’ve been on the trail, yet every day I still imagine that…

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Not Ours to Keep

I’ve made a lot of close friends on the Camino, which called for some hard goodbyes. It all seemed rather unfair, to be blessed with wonderful new friends, yet have to part with them after only a few weeks, fulling knowing some of us may never see each other again. But, truth is, that’s life…

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Conversations with Strangers: Anna from Holland 

About Her: Anna is 60 years old and a total badass. She walked 2,432 kilometers to get to Santiago de Compostela. That’s 1,511.1 miles. She started in Holland and it only took about four months. Oh, and she didn’t get any blisters.  I asked why she did the Camino, and her answer was refreshingly simple.…

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Day 16: Freefalling

My days on the Camino are filled with stories. That’s really what I do all day, I walk and I listen. I’ve listened to people grieve for the loved ones they have lost, teach me songs in French, tell me folktales from their home countries. I learn new things every day and, of course, I…

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Day 15: Inhale, Exhale

Today I’m sitting in the mountains, drinking tea with schnapps, watching the rain over the green landscape. I couldn’t have chosen a better place to reflect on the last three days in.  I think I have learned more about myself recently than I thought possible.  I found peace on day 13, hiking in the mountains…

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On Getting into Cars with Strangers 

When telling the story of how I had to take a break because of my wounds, I brushed over how exactly I got myself from the small town of to the city of León. I’m coming back to it because, well, it’s quite funny if I say so myself.  The nearest town that I limped…

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Day 4: Limits

Peter, Nadja and I began our day at three in the morning, so that we could walk in the light of the full moon. It was quiet and dark, and beautiful. We ran into a group that was doing the same, but was resting at the side of the road, and picked up Austin who…

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