Friday, September 14, 2012

The Road Ahead

St. Jean Pied de Port
The Pilgrim spirit remains our constant companion. Each day echoes of footfalls past join with the footfalls of our daily local walks as we joyfully recall our time on the Camino Frances. We find ourselves being nourished both in body, and spirit during these regular periods of quiet reflection and physical exertion, and are pleasantly surprised at the many Camino moments that find their way into our thoughts. If there were such a thing as a happiness meter, that could be rigged to read Camino emotion, then surely (for us) it would always be spinning the dial. The hunger to walk the Camino again has become a palpable thing that transcends a simple yearning to revisit a pleasant experience. In fact, the past two years since our departure from the Camino have proven to be a remarkable extended pilgrimage as the Spirit continues to strengthen our faith, and guide our life's journey. A little added bonus, one might say, that just surprises and amazes us.

As I reflect on this blessing a passage from Isaiah (God's poet) comes to mind, "Come, let us climb the Lord's mountain, to the house of Jacob, that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths...come let us walk in the light of the Lord." It is just this sense of climbing God's holy mountain to learn his ways, and discover his paths that fuels our pilgrim journey. We are urged forward, warmly cloaked with a comforting sense of peace and purpose, ready for the road ahead that now is leading us back to France where this all began (or did it).