The old saying is that with each step, you leave a bit of yourself on the Camino, but pick up something from everyone else who has walked it. Some talk about rainbows they have seen without any rain clouds, pilgrims that come to your aide and then disappear into the fog or bells that ring when nothing is in sight.
One woman’s story goes like this…
I had made a habit of inviting my guardian angels, my mother, father, best friend – all who had passed away to join me on my walks. I called on them every day, like a morning prayer. So after I got lost 2 days in a row, I had a frank talk with these “beings” and told them that I did not want to get lost again and I was counting on them to keep me on the “straight and narrow”. So about 1pm that day I was in my meditative walking mode and I heard a bell in my right ear I turned sharply and saw no animal or person near that could have produced the sound. So I walked a few steps further and heard it again. I turned in the direction of the sound, and right there in front of me as a blue arrow indicating a 45 degree turn on the trail. I would certainly have missed that arrow if that bell had not sounded.
The most common miracle of the Camino is “the Camino always provides.” There are endless stories of strangers helping strangers. The Camino is about community. You will get to know a lot of people and after a while, you will form something called a “Camino family”. You will help each other, you will have very good conversations and you will fight. ‘Cause it’s a family. And you will get to know them because you’re hiking approximately at the same speed they do.
Those same people that we are told not to talk to as children become a source of support and help along the way. I look forward to being part of this communal energy of the Camino that makes it so special.
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