It's Only Just Begun

Well, I made it. I am writing this while sitting outside the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, Spain- the finish line. I arrived here around 11 this morning after starting to walk at 5. But let's go back to the final week.

The last 5 days of the Camino are much different then the first 25. The scenery is always changing so that's not what I mean. But the final 5 days, or 100km, are jam packed crowded. In order to get the certificate you need to start in Sarria- 100km out- basically the last 5 days. That's where things got different because of the amount of people- you are never alone, it's really loud, you're rushing to get to the next stop to make sure you get a bed in the hostels, and with the finish line so close emotions are running through your head in a different way than before. Everything you knew the Camino to be- it isn't any longer.

I was pretty much feeling done with the whole walking thing. However, the excitement, the fulfillment, the accomplishment of the whole thing kept me going. The third and second to last days were fun because I met this mother and daughter from South Africa. They were entertaining and fascinating to talk to. I learned so much and now have a new place I want to visit. Another pilgrim said it best when he said that we may not remember each day's walk, or we may confuse certain towns or cities with others, but the people we meet and the times we share with others will be with us forever. I couldn't agree more with this. The days run together, and the experience becomes a whole not just individual days. But you remember the people for who they are as individuals and you learn from each person and take away so much.

It was yesterday afternoon when I was thinking how it feels like just yesterday I was in France starting this thing. I was remembering perfectly the night before we walked and having dinner with Kari from IL. and Christian from Denmark. I assumed they were a day or maybe two behind me after they spent extra days in Leon. But to my surprise they walked almost three 40k days and we were able to reunite for our final day walking into Santiago.

When Kari and I woke up at 5 our goal was not to rush because after all this was the last day. We wanted to make the pilgrim mass at noon in Santiago so leaving at 5 would allow plenty of time and we would see the sun coming up. With our headlamps we made our way through the eucalyptus trees and before we knew it we were over halfway there at 8am. So we stopped at a cafe for a snack. We ran into Christian here, and that snack turned into a bottle of wine, which turned into 3 bottles of wine by 1030am as we entered the city limits. Walking, laughing, reminiscing, and drinking... It was the most fun walk for reasons you can probably imagine.

The three of us started and finished together which was incredible considering I rarely saw them throughout the rest of the camino. It turns out a lot of people I know finished today as well, and so tonight will be a celebration!

The thought of being able to sleep in and not walk 20mi tomorrow is incredible. I have my own room, and when I arrived here it took me back to my Saint Mary's College days living in my dorm- Lemans Hall. This monastery is way older than Lemans, but the style of rooms is quite similar. And of course staying in a monastery is just like my good old days living in a convent. Needless to say... Home sweet home. Single bed, small room, small bathroom, yet it is everything I could have asked for.
Unloading my backpack was interesting because for the first time I wasn't thinking "this is so heavy I'm carrying so much" but I was thinking "oh no I have nothing how will I survive the next month and a half in Europe..."

I had to stop and reflect on what I have learned on this Camino. It's not about what we carry, it's not about what we wear or what belongings we have, but it's about who we are and knowing who we are. I wore the same shirt every day (yes it's brown now but once it was white), I didn't even have shampoo or soap for my final days (the hotel had a free bar of soap and it was like Christmas finding that sucker), and even with dirty clothes and smelling like the cows I walked by I was happy. I just walked across a country. I pushed myself and believed in myself to accomplish this goal. Knowing that I can do something like this is much more important than smelling good. They say the camino experience is unique and I would have to agree. Alpha and omega, or beginning and end, are reversed. The Camino experience is Omega Ten Alpha. You see the END of the Camino is just the BEGINNING of the rest of your life. Everything you gain for this experience is a part of you from here on out.

The greeting on this walk is "Buen Camino" or good way. You say it to everyone you pass and everyone says it to you. You probably hear it and say it a hundred times a day. No matter your language you know this phrase and you use it. (after the wine we were saying "buen ca-VINO" instead...) The mood today was so happy and encouraging.

As I sit here in Santiago, having just walked 800km, a certificate to prove it, and memories to last a lifetime - I would say that yes, it was a "Buen Camino"... Or yes, I had a good way. But the best is knowing this is just the start. The path I walked is only the beginning. What I experienced and what I learned will be with me forever and will help me find my way in the future.

Next stop.... MOROCCO. Not exactly on the initial itinerary but that's the best part!

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