I Learned This The Hard Way On The Camino de Santiago
On the Camino de Santiago journey, I’m in a section with vast wide open spaces and pretty medieval villages. The sounds of nature are endless, and the landscape is dotted with hamlets, Romanesque churches and crop fields for miles. Summer temperatures are starting to creep up. On those hot days, I wake up at dawn and walk until noon…before the sun makes me feel like I’m baking. My days start early, and it’s always fun to see the sleepy towns start to come alive. I usually walk for 3-4 miles, then stop to power up for the rest of the journey with freshly-squeezed orange juice, tē Verde (green tea), a breakfast tortilla with potato and egg), and a croissant with freshly-made marmalade. For more updates on my journey, follow along on Instagram!
This week as I was lifting up my heavy pack, I had to giggle at myself with all the unnecessary items that added extra weight to my pack…a whistle, a second charger, too many toiletries to list, four pairs of pants and four tops, a night light, makeup, and supplements…. you get the point 😉 At the time when I packed these items, I was living in a modern world with a box full of unused cords, and a closet full of shoes. But, that’s not life on the Camino.
In order to simplify the packing process and lighten the load, I started donating these items to others who were in need. Turns out, I didn’t really need my lip stain to make my lips appear plump, or an eyebrow pencil to fill in my sparse brows.
Now, I’m down to only two pairs of hiking socks, underwear, two T-shirts, two pairs of shorts and a sleeping bag. Thank goodness there are laundry stations everywhere! When I simplified, the Camino became so much easier…and that’s part of the lesson. The simple life is better…and the advice that’s constantly repeated on the Camino is, “Don’t pack your fears and leave your insecurities behind!”
The same is true with life…What are your fears that you’re packing around every day? What are those fears that are adding extra weight to your back, like putting rocks in a backpack and lugging it around all day?
Meanwhile, life marches on. Eventually, kids arrive, you hit problems in your marriage, you worry about your aging parents. Maybe you find yourself, as I did, dealing with a physically or mentally ill family member. Suddenly, you’re a full-service caretaker. And what happens? That free, playful spirit—that creative energy that used to dance and sing through your arms, your legs, your hips, your smile—begins to fade and the fears start to take over. Does any of this sound familiar?
By the time I hit my late forties, I felt like someone who goes to look up a favorite recipe and finds the page missing. How did I ever create that energy? Would I ever feel that spark, that aliveness, again?
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