Camino de Santiago – April 2025

After taking about 3 years away from writing, I am back to do a time-limited blog series about the adventure and insights in walking the Camino in Spain this April. Conceived over post-yoga brunch with a dear friend, the concept of the “Blister Blog” was formed. It started at first as a joke, and began to take shape as we talked about what I hoped to derive from my upcoming pilgrimage and how I might structure my approach.

Writing has historically held a special place for me where I can integrate my cognitive processing of lessons learned from a chapter of life with the lived emotions I experience along the way. I tend to adapt and accept changes fairly quickly based on logic and reason. For me, the second part (how I feel about it) usually lags a little and needs some prodding to more fully unpack. For me, time for reflection allows me to fully embrace life’s lessons from both the hills and valleys, offering wisdom and grace that is so critical to sustain us…to sustain our resiliency.

Searching for Joy

If I’m searching for one thing in walking the Camino de Santiago, I’m searching for joy! Part of me rolls my eyes at myself, “searching for joy.” How naïve and silly that sounds; softened only in part that it’s coming from a generally happy and successful woman over 40. I’m not expecting to magically find a “pot of joy” at the end of a rainbow somewhere in Spain. Joy comes from within.

Still, what I’m looking for is not childish at all. I believe that I am someone who carries a spark of light within me. Joy has been continually present in my life for which I am very grateful for. And if I’m being honest, it has dimmed a bit as through a series of blows over time. There has been a slow fade. I’ve gotten weary. A bit beaten down. A bit disengaged. I think many of us have.

Can we know all we know about the world and still live in hope? Sometimes it seems easier to just put our heads in the sand. And yet, I’m only halfway through what I hope will be my natural lifespan. I still have relatively young kiddos that I’m launching into the world and want hope for each of them. Hope for us. Hope for our nation. Hope for our planet.

Rekindling our Inner Spark

My joy and hope are juxtaposed with a quiet sadness and acceptance. I sense I need to physically let go of much of the legitimate and complex pain that’s filled its place. Process it and let it go. I don’t want to carry it anymore. I have already cognitively processed these microtraumas (many times). I get it. I’ve accepted it. I’m ready to move on. What I’m looking for is a bit different. I want to get it unstuck from my body and lay it down. I want space for more of the good in my life. No more “keeping score.”

Given the last five years we’ve lived through, I think the world (and each of us) needs a bit more joy…a bit more hope. If any of this resonates with you, I invite you to join me as I embark on this “bucket list” item backpacking 72 miles through the mountains of Spain from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela. I am doing the full 480-mile distance in total, having begun virtually here in the States earlier this Spring. I have completed 350 miles stateside at the time I write this. I’ll complete the full distance and arrive at the Cathedral on Palm Sunday to open Holy Week 2025!

Call for Prayer Requests

As the days count down to my flight, I find myself anticipating it with excitement, trepidation, and longing for it to be a healing and meaningful journey! I’ve had a few people ask if I’ll be giving updates along the way or using it fully to unplug. I’ll be walking about 12 miles each day, so will have quite a lot of quality time unplugged. I’m also doing it alone (with the support of an English-speaking guided group), so having some connection back to family and friends seems more my style.

Also, I’ve been gathering prayer requests and intentions. I’d like to pray for you and specific needs as a part of my walking prayer each day. If you haven’t messaged me yet and have something you’d like me to add, please do so!

What is the Camino?

Here’s a bit more about it (with some help from generative AI):

• What it is: The Camino is a series of routes, not a single path, that pilgrims walk to reach Santiago de Compostela.  The route has a history spanning over 1,000 years, dating back to the 9th century when the remains of St. James the Apostle were discovered in Northern Spain. 
• Why people walk it: The number of reasons why people walk it are likely as a varied as the 446,000 people each year who feel the call to walk the Camino. Historically, the primary reason was to visit the tomb of Saint James, a major figure in Christianity. 
• Who can walk it: Anyone can walk the Camino, regardless of their religious beliefs or background. 
• The routes: There are many different routes, starting in various places like France, Portugal, and Spain, each with its own character and scenery. 
• The experience: It’s a challenging but rewarding experience, involving long days of walking, meeting fellow pilgrims, and experiencing the beauty of the Spanish landscape. 
• Symbolism: The scallop shell is a recognizable symbol of the Camino and has been used as a wayfinding tool for pilgrims. 
• “Buen Camino”: The most commonly heard Spanish phrase on the Camino routes is “Buen Camino,” which literally translates to “good walk” and serves as a greeting and farewell to pilgrims. 
• Certificate: Pilgrims who complete a certain distance (usually 100 kilometers) are eligible to receive a “Compostela” certificate, a document that verifies their pilgrimage.