TRAVEL MEMOIRS
Some Pilgrims Carry More Than Their Backpack
Reflections on a Camino meeting
We all face diverse challenges in life, and for some, the journey to overcome them leads down an ancient path in northern Spain. During some five weeks of walking, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela offers them time for reflection in moments of solitude or during conversations with other pilgrims.
On the Camino, I learned a lot about life just by listening to the experiences of others. It often left me with a feeling of being privileged and lucky when I realized how many people struggle with physical or mental health issues. Others spoke of their financial trouble, tensions at work, addiction, or broken relationships.
Walking has a remarkable healing capacity; friends suffering from burn-outs called it their best medicine. But the Camino is more than just a very long walk; it is the modernized version of a 1200-year-old tradition with the infrastructure to handle the half-a-million annual pilgrims. I often relished the strong loyalty pilgrims feel towards each other; some experienced the power of religious or spiritual guidance. Along the route, I noticed many of us found motivation and inspiration. Others found acceptance. And some discovered a newfound strength to confront traumas they had ignored for too…
