Man plans and God laughs.

The seasons come and go, the moon waxes and wanes, and life happens.  The past few months have not passed as I expected, certainly not as planned.  Should anyone be surprised?

Our knees and feet had more to say, and they spoke with  thunderous voices.  Lori's knees continued to hurt after Bloomsday, preventing her from walking without pain.  We are using pain as a guide, so we didn't walk.  Starting after school ended in June, I took my preliminary exam for my doctorate.  Good news there, I passed!  When they were completed I started to have pain in my right shoulder, which spread to my left.  Rotator cuff. At the same time my left knee felt like it was on fire.  A pathetic few weeks followed.  Getting up from a chair was a task, walking was out of the question. 

Things have gotten better though, and we've started walking again.  So far I feel fine, Lori's arches bother her a bit. I have some regret about not "being where I planned to be", but the journey seemingly makes its own choices.  To stress about such things serves no purpose, so we accept.  Perhaps one of the Camino's early lessons.  Perhaps we are on the right path as our walk  yesterday evening was rewarded with a beautiful scene just as we finished.

As I read what others have written who have completed the Camino de Santiago, or are preparing for it as we are, a few themes appear that seem important to me.  Many write about other pilgrims they see rushing along to the next albergue, to make sure they get a bed.  I wonder, are they enjoying the journey?  Another is the feeling pilgrims describe when they reach Santiago.  Some are overwhelmed, for others it is anticlimactic.  I heard an interview today of a man who walked the Camino and wrote a book about his trip.  He advises not to travel the Camino looking for something, you won't find it.  I think I agree, the journey IS the reward.  Finally, I've read many times that "the Camino provides".  Perhaps this is an expression of faith.  There will be somewhere to sleep at the end of the day, and you will find what you really need.

As I plan and prepare for our Camino in 2016, I can't help feeling as if my Camino has already started.  After all, aren't we all pilgrims walking through life?  The destination can't be the purpose, surley it's the journey.  I hope that as I walk my Camino I will hold this thought.  While I may not know what I seek or need, I can try to be peaceful and content enough to recognize it when it finds me.  Peace be the journey.

Buen Camino.