Well, my first post-Camino day was interesting. Didn’t get to bed until midnight last night, but still came awake sometime between 4 and 5. Went for a walk, but resisted the urge to put on my backpack (didn’t actually require much effort to resist). The first thing I noticed was that I met several people walking (or running) in the opposite direction. That only rarely happens on the Camino. And then very quickly I became aware of two more strong indications that I was no longer on the Camino. There were no Camino markers anywhere to be found. And not one person I met greeted me with, “Buen Camino”. And finally, after walking for more than two hours I ended up right back where I started from. How did that happen?

Later in the morning I got in my truck and drove for the first time in a long time. I had to pause before starting the engine just to make sure I was alert and present.

Everything about the day seemed “normal”, and yet also slightly strange and not quite right. Bringing my Peregrino sensibility to bear on this old/new life in which I find myself is clearly going to take some time. My friend Charlotte told me she feels like an undercover pilgrim, walking around in normal clothes. I get that. And, I trust that I’ll get this figured out. The Camino is still working on me, and I know that I am already different inside. The pieces will come together.

It’s been a good start to this next stage of my newly expanded Camino (my life). Hopefully tonight sleep will be added to the list of things that are falling into place.

Buen Camino!

Here are a couple of links to photos from my walk this morning –

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LfNYUymga9AMA9m18

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mUaeFhciA63SL6og9