During the course of our lives, we change paths quite often. Most probably when we were little kids, we didn't realize the paths or "caminos" that we were heading into. As life goes on, our paths keep changing and changing with our experiences and our environment. The book: Life is a Trip: The Transformative Magic of Travel writer by Judith Fein recounts precisely this.How travelling to unknown places, made her understand and see that of which as foreign to her. On a more personal thought, we should all aspire to do precisely this. Is by travelling that we open ourselves to the unknown, which can greatly propel us into a more cultural and wise being.
While reading some of the chapters, I felt most compelled with Chapter 13, The Other Side of the Pilgrim's Road in Spain, which talked about the "Camino de Santiago de Compostela". Santiago "El Mayor" or James "The Greater" was one of the Apostles of Jesus of Nazaret. Santiago was the one of the Apostles who took it upon himself to go and spread his gospel thought Israel and subsequently "finis terrae", or what was considered the end of the world int hose times. Later on, Santiago went back to Jerusalem where he was beheaded by Herodes. Santiago was one of the first Apostles to die; later after his death as a martyr, his followers gathered his remains and brought them back to Compostela, Spain. While reading this chapter, I was so deeply moved by the accounts of the author. I've heard of el "Camino" and have also heard from a friend and family members that have gone, and how incredibly hard and painstaking walk that have to be endured for days. But while reading, I felt transported to the surroundings and accounts that the author was describing. I felt this urge to go grab a suitcase and leave.
As many people embark on the long and strenuous "Camino" wether to do it as a pilgrimage, to explore something new, to find ones inner self, or just to see what so many people talk and recount, this is sure to be the trip and experience of a life time. I'm baffled by how many people decide to do the "Camino" each year, and hopefully I will join all those people who have experienced this marvellous journey someday. But the "Camino" is not just done in that particular place, because we are forever enduring a "Camino" throughout the course of our lives. Life is a "Camino" just as hard as the "Camino de Santiago" itself. Life is full of many lessons that shape into who we are, just like the "Camino" does each year to the many people that walk it every day. This being said, we must embrace each and very opportunity that life gives us, and make the best of it, whether it be good or bad. Every experience is a lesson needed for the improvement of our selves, just like the "Camino" was for the author.
"Pocas cosas hacen falta, para el Camino de Santiago. Pocas, como realmente pocas son las que necesitamos para ser felices en la vida. Una mochila, con lo que creemos que utilizaremos en nuestro día a día, y un bordón, que nos ayude a caminar en momentos difíciles. Los paralelismos con nuestra vida son inagotables en este Camino de Luz."
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"Few things we need for a "Camino de Santiago". Few as what we really need to be happy in life. A rucksack, with what we think we need in daily life, and a walking stick, a help for walking in difficult moments.Parallelisms with our life are endless in this Path of Light."
We go through life without paying attention to the opportunities life gives us - at least some of us. Sometimes its good to stop everything and just be grateful. "El Camino" gives us a chance to separate us from our fast lived life in the "real world" and experience life a little more. To get to know ourselves even more.
ReplyDeleteYou would not believe me if I mentioned this to you, but earlier today I was just thinking of what you wrote about how life is ever changing us. I thought on how some people just engage hands even though their calluses are exposed they still stick through each phase (or each new callus).
ReplyDeleteLife does get complicated and it happens in the most unexpected moments. They are the ones in which all explodes and implodes at the same time, leaving us withering hoping for some droplet of water that would revive us. Maybe "El Camino" does not only applies to the literal one. Maybe (as you say) we should "embrace each and every opportunity" to find the right rode which gives us insight to what we need to get that "droplet of water".
Thanks, Bianca for this post.
I really did appreciated the reflection when writing you this comment.