I did not know I was tired until I slept and I did not know I was hungry until I ate. What a good night. I spent the night in the Mercure hotel in Bordeaux. A delightful place. The staff were very kind, even though I don’t speak a lick of French. Maybe they all roll their eyes after I turned away but I didn’t see it. I also did not sense it. Which I think is even more important. Check out is not until noon but I think I’ll pack things up here and head over to the train station. What better place to watch humanity. More later.
11:34 a.m. I am at the train station. I’m looking for pilgrims, but I have not seen one yet. I suppose in one way or another we are all pilgrims, but I’m looking for some very specific ones. I would like to wish someone, Buen Camino.
11:41 a.m. and as I stand here, I just remembered Blaine the Mono. Stephen King fans unite!
12:19 p.m. I have met my first pilgrim, although she walked it two years ago. She saw the Cross of St. James on my pack (thank you, Dana, for sewing them on—I haven’t forgotten our deal!) I am smiling. Becoming more real.
1:10 p.m. I just began The Road to Daybreak by Henri Nouwen. The first two sentences: “This is the first day of my new life! Though it sounds melodramatic, I cannot avoid feeling that something significant is starting today.” Ummm…..
2:23 p.m. on the train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Many pilgrims.
3:24.
4:21 p.m. Arrived at my apartment for the next two nights. It is lovely—Gîtes Vue Montagne St-Jean-Pied-de Port. Five stars and I haven’t even checked out the bed.
7:53 p.m. I walked back into town to find a bite to eat and a few groceries for the next couple of days. Not much. Just a few eggs and bread. I’ll go back in tomorrow for a bigger meal.
As I walked, I was thinking about the pilgrims I met… no, “met” is the wrong word… encountered or bumped into along the way today. *WE* were all still caught up in our normal lives. We were rushing and pushing and jostling. We were not good pilgrims (I don’t even know that we are pilgrims yet.) We were our normal selves. Always in a hurry. Always checking the clock. Always believing that our journey is of utmost importance. Not true Young Grasshoppa. This—in my no miles on the Camino, yet, opinion—is not the Way of St. James.
St. James was guided by an angel to his final resting place in Santiago. Perhaps, instead of guiding our own path, we allow God’s holy angels to guide us… is that a statement or a question?
I prayed the Rosary today in a beautiful church. I understood that I was at the foot of the cross with Mary. I had my left hand on Jesus foot and Mary had a hand on mine. Mary had her right hand on Jesus’ other foot and I had my other hand on hers. We stood side by side. At first, I was distracted by the others coming and going, but Mary said for me not to listen to them. She said that I was to listen for His voice—that He would speak to me along the way. I will listen.
I lit a candle and asked her to pray for me along The Way. She will.
It is 11:09 AM and I am in the airport in Oklahoma City. My flight doesn’t leave for a couple more hours so I stopped for some breakfast. It was Andy who drove me to the airport and he took a before photo.
The next leg of the journey will take me from here to DFW, where I have another short layover before heading out to Paris.
The flight to Dallas was uneventful and short. I am hopeful that the next flight will at least be uneventful! It will be long…. about 10 hours/5,231 miles. I hope to sleep which is something I can never do on a plane. Don’t take that as complaining! I get to do this thing. Having a few French fries before boarding because you never really know about what will be served.
It is 12:02 Paris time and we are taxing to the runway at DFW.
Sunrise at 37,000 feet. About an hour out from Paris.
Arrived in Paris without any trouble. Only was able to sleep for about an hour or so. I wish I could learn to do that. Sleep on the plane that is. Took a taxi to the Montparnasse train station, and then waited on the train.
Arrived in Bordeaux. 24 1/2 hours after I left. Long trip but not a complaint. I see sleeping in Babyland in my future.
A room with a pretty nice view.
I have two trains tomorrow, but really a pretty easy day. Only about three hours of traveling and then I will be at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. I have two nights there, which I’m really looking forward to. Not only will it give me the opportunity to rest up from the trip, but I can also explore the town at a leisurely pace.
In the final hours leading up to departure from Sherwood Forest, I am finally at rest. Everything is packed, and the house is clean. If I have forgotten it, I probably don’t need it. If it is not clean, it’s probably not all that dirty. I now sit with a glass of wine and a movie that I found–The Wall (I know nothing about it, but the blurb says it is a tour-de-force performance by Martina Gedeck. I don’t know her either, but I’m glad she had a forceful tour.)
The alarm is set for 7:30 a.m. tomorrow. My trusty chauffeur will be picking me up at 9:00 a.m. (trusty chauffeur is good for a snarky comment below.) Roughly 24 hours after I wake up in the a.m., I will be landing in Paris. Bonjour. Merci. Parlez vous Francais? Nope. I’m from Oklahoma, and the only thing we parlez vous around here is… well, I was hoping for another Come-for-da-bull joke there, but it didn’t work out.
The Queen is on her perch, glaring down at me. She is beginning to catch on and the claws are flexing. Maybe I’ll make it out the door before she goes all screaming terrorist.
You all have a good night’s rest. I’ll try and update tomorrow, but I’m not sure how all that will work out, so it will likely be sometime Sunday and I’ll be in Bordeaux, France (poor me…. bwaahahahaha.) With that, “Good night, and good morning, in case we don’t talk before that!)
I’ve packed and repacked the backpack about 6 times now. In the process, I’ve lightened the load by 7 pounds and got the weight down to 25lbs, which includes water. Several items in the first picture did not make the cut. The only real luxury item is the iPad. On a shorter trip, I might consider leaving it at home, but I plan on doing some other writing while I’m there, and a keyboard attached to the phone just wouldn’t work.
I’ve done plenty of walking with weight, so I believe all shall be well. If not, all my pictures will be of me sitting on a beach somewhere in Europe (life could be a lot worse.)
I’ve scheduled sixty days on the Camino with 46 walking days and 14 days off. This is what those stages look like, but could change once I’m there.
It looks a bit overwhelming when I look at some of the daily distances, but then I remember that it is not a race–although those 15+ mile days are a bit intimidating. On average, I’ll be walking 4 to 5 hours per day. Walk for a couple of hours in the morning, have lunch, have a siesta by the gurgling fountain, walk for a couple more hours, take off the boots, and enjoy the rest of the day. No problem (and everyone reading this rolls their eyes!)
I fly out on Saturday and arrive in Paris on Sunday Morning. From Paris, I take a train to Bordeaux where I’ll spend the night. The following day is a train ride to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where I’ll spend two nights getting my days in order and breathing. The pilgrimage officially begins on Wednesday, April 10th. If all goes well, I’ll be in Santiago around June 10th. Regardless of what happens, I’ll need to be back in Paris by June 26th–that’s my return flight.
In a conversation with C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien said, “We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God.” Within our legends and myths, there is a certain amount of truth. The same is true with what I would like to share today—a combination of facts, myths, and legends, and it all begins in the year 43 B.C. We can read about it in the Acts of the Apostles.
“Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also.” (Acts 12:1-3a) The Apostle James, brother of John and son of Zebedee, was martyred by beheading. It is from there that our legend begins.
Following his death, his followers, wanting to provide a proper burial for him but also wanting his body to be kept safe, took it to the coast, where they boarded a stone boat. The boat had no rudder or sail but was guided by an angel, which took it on a long journey across the Mediterranean, through the Strait of Gibraltar, and up to the northwest corner of Spain.
At this same time, a father was throwing a huge wedding party for his son. There was food, drinks, dancing, and games. One of the games played was abofardar—the men, riding horses, would take a spear and hurl it into the air as high and far as they could, then, charging forward, they would attempt to catch the spear before it hit the ground—very safe. The groom’s turn came, and he gave the spear a mighty throw. However, he was so focused on the spear that he paid little attention to where his horse was going, and he plummeted into the sea and disappeared. There was high tension as the crowd watched and waited for him to surface. Finally, he did. A way out from shore, the groom and horse popped up. Fortunately for them, there was a boat directly beside them. It was the stone boat carrying the body of the Apostle James.
After rescuing the groom and the horse, it was discovered that they were both covered in scallop shells. The followers of James on the boat saw this as a miracle, so the scallop shell became a symbol of all who were saved by coming to St. James.
Following these events, the body of St. James was secretly buried and essentially lost for almost 800 years until a hermit, Pelayo, noticed strange lights in the sky. Following the lights, Pelayo came to a field where he discovered the hidden tomb. He informed his Bishop, who, with several others, went to investigate and were able to determine that it was, in fact, the remains of the Apostle. A church was built over the tomb, and later a cathedral. The city that grew up around it that supported the pilgrims who came to venerate the saint was named Santiago de Compostella. Santiago is translated as St. James, and Compostella means “field of lights.” For the last 1,200 years, saints and sinners, lay people and clerics, rich and poor, popes and kings, have made the pilgrimage to pray before the remains of St. James the Great—one who was so very close and dear to Jesus.
The pilgrimage is called the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James, and the starting point for many is Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, which means St. John at the Foot of the Pass—the pass is the one that takes you over the Pyrenees Mountains, from France into Spain. On April 10th of this year, I will rename this town Jean-Pied-de-Port—John at the Foot of the Pass (unless, of course, I’m sainted in the next month, then I’ll keep it the same.) The French Way, the route I will be taking, is the most popular and the one pilgrims have walked for 1,200 years.
I’ll take more time and make more stops, but there are traditionally 31 stops along the way, and early on, pilgrims would make the journey there and back, so with the Cathedral counting as their destination, you would have 63 stops. As they did not have the benefit of GPS and a well-marked trail, early pilgrims relied on various maps, one of which was created by the Templars. That early map has evolved into a game still played today (and one our kids will have the opportunity to play while I’m away)—The Royal Game of the Goose. Thus enter Albert the Goose. Why a goose?
It was the Templars who were charged with protecting pilgrims as they made the pilgrimage, and so it was the Templars who made the original map. Looking at our game board, you will see many of the squares have symbols in them. The meaning of most of the symbols is lost. Still, the labyrinth could represent physical and spiritual growth, a well might represent a lousy day, and a bridge—although it may be a specific bridge—can also represent a spiritual crossing. And then there is the goose. For the Templars, the goose represented wisdom, and throughout the Camino, if you keep your eyes open, you will see a goose carved in the base of a statue or a distinctive goose track in various locations. There are also towns with “Goose” in their names: Villafranca de Montes de Oca, Castrojeriz (city of geese), El Ganso, Ocón, Puerto de Oca, Manjarín (man of geese). (Source) While I’m away, Albert will also be traveling, and you may find him at your front door looking for a place to rest.
In the very early days of the Camino, there were tens of thousands of pilgrims, but the numbers waned due to wars and other issues. Eventually, it nearly fell out of use, and in 1979, only twelve people completed the walk. However, popularity has increased dramatically. Last year, which was considered a holy year, over 442,000 individuals walked a Camino.
To officially walk a Camino, you must walk at least 100km (62 miles). From St-Jean, where I’ll start, it is 800km (500 miles), and last year, of the 442,000, about 23,000 made that distance. For each, regardless of the distance, the shell—like the one attached to the groom and his horse—has become the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. It is what designates a pilgrim—they attach one to their pack or hat—and it is what marks The Way, with signposts, wayfaring markers, and various marks in the road.
Finally, the Camino de Santiago is a physical exercise—putting one foot in front of the other for 500 miles—but more than that, it is a spiritual exercise. It is a journey of the soul. It is a way of letting go of all except the most necessary and, hopefully, along The Way, discovering that all you truly need is God and a few items you can carry on your back. As I walk, I hope to declutter my mind and my soul, and just as I might leave some gear that I don’t use along the way, I hope to leave the clutter and discover that life is far simpler than we make it.
I will be on the Camino for 60 days, and I’ll be out for fourteen weeks. I will be very out of touch, but I will pray for you every day. As I’ve told several people, St. Matthew’s was around for 125 years before I got here, so I know you’ll be just fine and in very capable hands. I encourage you to participate in the events and activities that have been planned. In the process, you might just discover the spirit of the Camino and find The Way opening up before you.
Let us pray (this is the traditional pilgrim’s prayer that was written in the 12th century):
O God, who brought your servant Abraham out of the land of the Chaldeans, protecting him in his wanderings, who guided the Hebrew people across the desert, we ask that you watch over us, your servants, as we walk in the love of your name.
Be for us our companion on the walk, Our guide at the crossroads, Our breath in our weariness, Our protection in danger, Our refuge on the Camino, Our shade in the heat, Our light in the darkness, Our consolation in our discouragements, And our strength in our intentions.
So that with your guidance we may arrive safe and sound at the end of the Road and enriched with grace and virtue we return safely to our homes filled with joy. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
St. James the Greater, pray for us. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
My question for today: exactly when did they start using super glue to seal up the single serve string cheese? I can only imagine these things going in some small child’s lunchbox. I finally broke out a knife and slit it along the side and there may have been a few choice words along the way. Now that I’ve got that off my mind…
Movies: started several, finished none. Oy. Next.
I continue the Camino prep / exercise. After going at it strong for a week I gained two pounds. Rrr. Ok. Fine. I’ll just keep at it knowing that the process works. Exercise and burn more calories than you take in. That’s how it is supposed to work, although it can be as frustrating as opening a single serve string cheese! Each day I have to tell myself the Nike slogan and then put on my Brooks and do it. I will definitely get there.
When Christians fight one another: a disgrace. As Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Satan greatly approves of our railing at each other, but God does not.” There are more than enough studies out there showing that the Church is in decline and there are also several studies that show one of the greatest contributing factors is the way Christians treat other Christians. Yep. That’s right. The greatest harm to the Church is not from the outside, but from within. Think about it: you see fighting in your home, at work, on the TV, in social media and you think to yourself, “I’ll go to church, because there I will find peace and unity.” But instead of finding peace and unity, you find more upheaval, more of the same, more of the world. Who needs that?! Not me. “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” — Brennan Manning.
The Christian is to remain humble. The Christian is to see themselves as the greatest of all sinners and their brothers and sisters as souls to be loved. The Christian is to build up and not tear down. The Christian does not wave a flag, the Christian carries a Cross (a Cross that is for you to be crucified upon so that you might die with Christ and Rise with Christ.) The Christian is a candle in a dark cave, seeking out the lost and showing the way to freedom, fresh air, and The True Light.
“Finally, brothers (that includes you sisters, too!), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me(I was going to delete that bit, because it is not always what you see in me) practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)
My goodness! He went and got all preachy on us.
What I learned today (and have known, but wanted to say): I also believe in miracles.
Thought for the day:
St. Teresa of Calcutta
“These are the few ways we can practice humility: To speak as little as possible of one’s self. To mind one’s own business. Not to want to manage other people’s affairs. To avoid curiosity. To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully. To pass over the mistakes of others. To accept insults and injuries. To accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked. To be kind and gentle even under provocation. Never to stand on one’s dignity. To choose always the hardest.”
The sabbatical is back on and so is The Way: The Camino de Santiago. As some of you may recall, this was to happen in 2020, but 2020 happened and the world came to a screeching halt. My prayer is that the delta variant won’t cause the same, because on the Wednesday after Easter next year the sabbatical begins and I leave for Rome the following week where I’ll spend ten days, followed by a trip to St. Jean Pied de Port to begin the great pilgrimage of 500 miles across Spain (and more, because I’m still planning to continue on to Muxía. An additional 50 miles.)
“Captain! We have a problem.” I have grown again (it is always an issue) and I’ve fallen out of shape, so yesterday I joined the YMCA. I will now begin the process of paying the piper for my gluttony, and with only seven months to go, I can’t wait any longer. Why the Y? Because day after day we have had heat advisories and it just isn’t possible to do the amount of necessary exercise outdoors… at least not for me. I would like to live long enough to actually make the journey.
The scales this morning say I have thirty-five pounds to lose in order to be at the goal weight. That’s five pounds a month and very doable. Should you see me with any non-healthy foods in my hands, feel free to slap them out and then to slap me on the back of the head. For those stopping by for supper… think salmon, salads, rabbit food.
Candle in a Cave 