Wynette: Two things I’ve been trying to work with on the Camino are taking things as they come and letting go.
Taking things as they come:
You haul yourself up a steep hill and finally at the top you see that you are going straight back down again. These hills give lots of practice in accepting things as they come.
Charlie and I have talked some about how stressful it can be to always try to optimize everything: to try to stay in the best possible place for the night, to find the best dinner. As we move so quickly through these towns with so little information, we just have to choose something and hope for the best. Some things turn out great, others ok. Nothing really terrible so far. But there are always opportunities to have regrets or be unhappy. Being on the Camino reminds me to acknowledge how I feel (to myself) but not to hang on to those regrets or bad feelings. And to constantly be grateful for all the good things we experience every day and for the opportunity to see the world this way.
Letting go:
Walking lets you see things closer and in more detail than driving, of course. But then you’re more aware of all the things you are passing by too quickly. Flowers, little churches, local people, other pilgrims, tiny villages, little tiendas and bars, farms, animals, houses, vistas. But there isn’t time to stop for much of this. Sometimes, we’ve even been too tired to explore the village we are staying in for the night. I am trying to enjoy what I can of these things and let go of the others and move on.
Good philosophy for life – not just on the walk. I have been trying to apply it to aspects in my life!!!. Mom
Living the dharma on the el camino — thank you for your reflection, also for the things you’ve learned on the journey. Sharing a bottle of wine sounds like part of the spiritual path, too. Sarah