Camino – reflections and random thoughts while flying home

Things I will miss and things that I learned (am learning) from the Camino

• Looking for, and navigating by, Camino markers
• Being greeted with “Buen Camino” (and having it feel genuine and heartfelt)
• Greeting others with “Hola!  Buen Camino!”
• Walking through a changing landscape every day (even on the Mesita)
• The simple rhythm of my days (that were also completely unique)
• The daily surprises
• Being open to the daily surprises
• Being in touch with my body
• Being in touch with my heart
• Moving at 5kph all the time (except when it was slower than that) and feeling my whole being relax and slow down
• Not being in a motor vehicle
• Feeling like a time traveler (walking through old streets like still look much the same way they looked centuries ago)
• Walking where countless peregrinos have walked (with intention) before me
• Hearing multiple languages every day
• Meeting people I would never have met otherwise
• Meeting new friends and finding connections very quickly
• Learning that I was capable of navigating in a world where the language and the people and the culture and the landscape were foreign to me
• Learning (in a deeper and more powerful way) that my body is amazing
• Learning that I could enjoy food I didn’t know I liked
• Learning that I could carry almost everything I need (at least for a while) in my backpack
• Learning (in a deeper and more powerful way) to listen to and trust what my body and my heart were saying to me
• Learning that letting go of plans and intentions and expectations does not have to mean defeat