Community on the Camino!

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Seems there is a rule out there - something about loving your neighbor as yourself. Now the Camino isn't perfect - we are in the world thus nothing is perfect - but I see this command from the Lord in action here on The Camino more than anywhere else. They call the United States the melting pot, but we ain't got nothing on the Camino. People are here from all over the world speaking many languages doing their Camino in their own way, but all come together on the path as a community. My Holland friend, Jeroen (will tell you more about him in a bit) says we should take all the world leaders and maybe all the military leaders and put them on the Camino and make them walk it. He thought it would solve a lot of the world's problems and possible bring more understanding and end a lot of hate. He may have a good idea.

So let me explain a little bit about the Camino and friends - of course this is my perspective and everyone's experience is different. I also want to tell you a little about my Camino friends. Depending on where you start you tend to have a group that you start with and see a great deal during the first week. The group is always in flex as some come and some go - everyone has a different pace and a different goal so faces are always changing. There tends to be some that you see often though as you are walking at about the same and tend to stay at the same albergues. You might also choose to stick with a group you have formed or even come as a group. From what I have heard from my friend who is now within 100km of Santiago and should reach there in 3-4 days, she says her group that she started with in St. Jean has pretty much disappeared. You are always making new friends and you are never really alone on the Camino - or at least never for too long - but there is a sense of some loss, when the faces you are used to seeing on The Way or in the Albergue at night all have gone away and been replaced by new ones. However you are ever greated by fellow walkers with a smile and a Buen Camino or by those on bikes doing the Camino or by locals. There is a bond based on the commonality of the walk/ride that does bring us together even if we don't speak the same language. It is truly amazing and would do a lot to forward world peace and understanding if we could have our leaders come together like this. I actually really learned about this from going to China. I cannot hate the Chinese people. I have walked and talked and broke bread with many Chinese in my times of service there. Theyare really amazing wonderful people just like you and I. I may still dislike their government, but I would wish only peace and prosperity on the people in China.

So let me tell you about my friends. I am not going to change the names and some may read this. If you do, I hope nothing I say hurts or offends you. I have tried to express to my friends along the way how much they have meant to me and how deeply they have enriched and blessed my life! We may not see eye to eye on everything, but I love these people for their heart and just for being them!

Lets start at the beginning - Geri. I may have mentioned her before. She is the Australian I actually met on one of the trains from Barcelona. She and I kept running into each other that day and as we stepped off the bus together at St. Jean (our starting point) we both looked at each other and said now what. We didn't even know where we should go. We walked together and stayed together the first 2 or 3 days. We had some great talks. Gerri is the age of my daughters and has been traveling around Europe for the past 2 years. She kinda did the Camino on a whim. She is still around and I see her almost daily but we rarely walk together now. We started pulling about - don't know for sure who initiated it, but it happened. She walks with my other friends - HeeHoon and Rim (her name is Hyrim we call her Rim. Intelligent young woman with a heart of gold!) from Korea, Eva (Eva is amazing! She is small but mighty! She speaks English, Spanish and French as well as her native Chinese) from Taiwan and Jean from France. I am not even sure when I met up with those four - maybe in the 2nd week, but they have been close traveling companions as well. The 4 of them did not know each other before The Camino, but they are always together now and it seems Geri is now their 5th. She and Rim have formed a friendship which seems appropriate as they are about the same age. However I sense a change in Geri - not the personI met and walked with the first few days. Not sure what it is but I have found that I need to distance myself even more. Makes me sad.

There are those who hold a special place in my heart that are no longer on the same path as me now. Mark and Liz from Virginia. I also met them on the journey to St. Jean. They were going to go back for the running of the bulls and Pamplona. Then Liz was going home and her husband was going to return and finish the Camino. They were a great blessing and we had several dinners together. There is Kevin who I just loved - a Catholic school teacher from Miami. What a great guy and blessing. I looked forward to running into him at least once a day! Always had a smile and a kind word. He stayed behind over a week or so ago to rest and then go slower. He had some major blisters and foot problems. I do miss him so! Then there is Stu from Wisconsin - we run into each other on and off in different places and I always get a laugh. He has joined ranks with some Portlandians and a German and they usually run together. We first met near the top of the Pyrenees. Next I saw him getting out of a car with his crew in Pamplona. And as I was laughing at them as they were quickly trying to explain why they were in the car like bad children caught doing something wrong! I saw Stu and the guys a few days ago when we slept together - lol. His bed was literally less than a foot from mine. It is something you don't even think about after a while - the beds, the shared bathrooms, the hand washing of laundry and then hanging with everyone elses. It just becomes an every day thing!

I also have my angels of the Camino Emily and Chanelle. They are both 24 year old Catholic girls from New Mexico. I am not sure where Emily is living now but Chanelle lives in NY now and will be going on a mission when she returns from the Camino. We have walked together and gone to mass together often! Their faith and their love has often lifted me on the path. When my friend died they gave me comfort and prayed for me and Andrew's family. II also feel some kinship with Emily as she is a horsewoman!

Two great guys to walk with have been Hugo from Sweden and Jeroen from Holland. Both are so young and have such great hearts and morals! I have loved walking and talking with them! Jeroen LITERALLY walked out of his door and began his Camino. He has been walking for over 90 days. His girlfriend and her parents came to see him a few days ago and he took two days off from the Camino. I miss him greatly! I don't know if he will catch up, but I hope to see him again in Santiago if not. He walks for an organization that does outreach in Africa. Hugo is also of great caliber as is my Korean friend HeeHoon. There are so many others as well who have come and gone and then once in a while I see them again. Nikko from Switzerland, Desiree from Denmark, Dave from England who I just got to know last night - great guy and very interesting, Rinata from Germany who I have not seen for several days now. I could go on and on. It is a great ebb and flow - you look for the faces and are glad when you see them now and then to say hi.

Community and friendship is an important part of the Camino but it can also become a distractor. For me I came here with a certain purpose, and I have found my close connections to my one group has distracted me too much and the Camino has becoma a little too social. This week I am separating myself and walking alone more again like I did toward the end of my first week and into my second.

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