To the World's End - The Beginning

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I sit alone at the albergue this evening in Finisterre. I would assume most of the people are back up at the lighthouse at land's end/world's end building a bonfire and burning thing and such. My friends have headed up that way. I have no desire to go and I also will walk again tomorrow while they have finished. I only have 15k to walk tomorrow so I will sleep in and have breakfast with friends before I head out. Before I complete my story about the lessons of faith and miracles that I started on the onset on my new journey, let me tell you a bit about today.

Thanks to the help of one of my miracles from my first day to Finisterre my walk was pretty laid out for me. Since I am essentially killing time until I leave Paris for home on August 5th, my walk is not one of urgency. Yesterday I was walking about 20 to San Marena/Maronas - check. That is done and I think I shared some of that with you. Then I was doing a 32k haul to Cee and then a short one to here. Tomorrow I leave here to walk to Lires, about 14k and then on Tuesday a 15k to Muxia. From there I will do a 16k to a place beyond Muxia, which is part of the miracle I will share with you shortly.

So we got up this morning at our usually 5:30am knowing we had a long walk to Cee. As I had shared in my last blog I had walked thru some storms the day before and it also stormed last night. As we were waiting for the bar attached to the albergue to open the storm began again in earnest. It was pouring sheets or rain and the wind was blowing hard, as it had all night. I took one look outside and said I wasn't walking in that. My pilgrimage ended in Santiago, and there was no way I was walking that! The girls, Erin and Kirsten, suggested getting a cab, and our friend from the UK, Tom, says I will pitch in for that. So it was decided we would take a cab. Since we were getting a cab, we decided we should just go all the way to Finisterre. I am sorry to have missed Cee. It is a beautiful little town not frequented to much by pilgrims as they are usually pushing on to Finisterre. We had a delightful drive to Finisterre. We arrived there in less than an hour (would ave taken us more than a day) and by then the skies were clearing. So we had a beautiful day in Finisterre - walking to the lighthouse, seeing friends, eating great pizza and so on - and I learned another lesson.

NEVER on the Camino would I have ever thought of taking a cab. I would have walked in that rain storm. Early in my Camino it was very much a competition for me. Not against anyone in particular, but against me - just like when I run races. The 30k day in less than 6 hours, the 48k day, always pushing on and always walking faster. That is how at one point I ended up 3 days ahead of schedule. I had to take my time at the end because I would have gotten to Santiago too early if I hadn't. I realized today that I had changed - oh I still have that competitiveness in me, but it isn't a race and I don't have anything to prove to anyone. It was okay to take that cab and have a day to enjoy this beautiful town and my friends. No shame! And so I come full circle back to Friday, day before yesterday and my first day on the road to the worlds end.

I came off the Camino in Negreira, and as I came into town there stood a tourist office. I never stop at them unless it is to get a map of the town, and this day was no exception. I didn't feel like even needed a map, so I proceeded to walk on by. I can't tell you why I went back and stood there waiting a good 15 minutes or more while she helped the guy in front of me, but I did. This is when I met Sienna. Her Spanish was pretty good, but we she had briefly spoken to me in English I knew she wasn't Spanish. Sure enough when she finally got to me I found out she is from San Fransico! I was meant to stop there and meet her. There are so many amazing people that I have met and connected with and I have seen the hand of God in each of them, but this was blatant. As I have searched for the answers to help me determine the direction of my future, I have waited for some signs and guidance. I am not sure how this will all come together, but I can't help but believe that Sienna and Tracy (who will meet in 3 days and has the retreat center I am heading to thanks to Sienna) are part of my answer. Sienna is a Harvard grad and actually a marketing consultant. Tracy runs this retreat center off the grid outside of Muxia and is a psychologist and was formerly a school counselor. She has also written some books, which is something I hope to do at some point too. These experiences I have had on the Camino and now meeting Sienna are helping to bring together a direction. I have met these women for a purpose.

Anyway, Sienna and I talked, but she was on work time (actually volunteer time and other pilgrims were waiting) so she told me about Tracy and suggested I email her right away (which I did) and helped me map out my travels until I leave. Even now as I write this in Finisterre she is helping me in Negreira by looking up flights to get me to Paris at the last possible moment.

To thank you for all her help I went back at closing time and took her for a drink. We talked for a few hours. What an amazing woman, and I am anxious to meet Tracy, who also sounds amazing. There is so much I would like to tell you about this woman, but it is really her story. How she ended up in my lap is truly a miracle. She has done the Camino a few times - that is how she met her partner, who is a native to Negreira, which is how she has ended up there for the time being. He was born and raised there and they met on a Camino. She has an amazing story about what she is trying to do there.

As I said she is a marketing consultant and she is trying to help the town market itself as the gateway to the world's end (Sienna if I don't get this quite right I am sorry!) and help boost their economy. As with other countries, Spain struggles too and many people are out of work. Also inn the small towns the economic system is set rather poorly - based on old ways and small town ideas. I could very much relate what she told me to the backward, arrow mindness of where I lived in the Ozarks. Mind you good people but set in ways of days gone by and also a narrow mindness that is not really feasible in today's world. In our discussion she also gave me some insight to Spain - the biogtry, the old country ways and so on. Good things to think about when was is thinking this may be a place they might want to live in.

So now because of Sienna I am set on a path very much planned out - not like the Camino at all. I left Santiago in faith and knew God would provide what I needed - in this case it was Sienna. Her hand is guiding me on my path for the next few days and has led me to my final spot to relax and meditate with Tracy at her Foxy House retreat center (only has 4 beds! - and was full but I got a cancellation!). I am truly amazed at how this has played out - and truly I see God at work here. I have prayed during the Camino for God to help me find my path. To give me patience for what is next so that I wouldn't force things like I often do. Now I see the ideas and the connections and the prayers coming together and I am excited! I walked The Camino in faith with burdens to unload, prayers to be said and talks to be had. I am now walking a new path - another BEAUTIFUL and amazing road, with new and old friends - and I am still having the talks and the prayer, but now it feels more reflective and receptive towards the future.

I hope this makes sense. There is so much more I would like to tell. I am still so amazed at the person I met in Sienna - just meeting her gave me inspiration toward the future. I know I am tired and worn out in my job. I am searching for new meaning in my life now that my kids are grown. Somewhere I can find new passion and do some things for myself while still making a difference in the world. I think I am heading in that direction. The Camino opened me up to the possibilities and the road to the world's end is inspiring me with the ideas.

I am excited to tell you more. To share the remained of my walk. And to share what lies ahead at the end for me - which is my 3 day retreat. I will be walking up the coast for the next two days. If you are my friend on facebook you can see this pictures and know the scenery is breathtaking! I don't know how many I will walk with as many walk from Muxia to Finisterre not Finisterre to Muxia, but the end of this journey is really about completion for me, so it is fitting that few or none of my friends will be there to walk with me.

Goodnight for now - tomorrow I walk!

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