Oh, my feet are tired! We did 11 miles yesterday and 14 today with plenty of ascents and descents. My knees feel a bit wobbly, but no blisters! The pro-tip is changing socks midday. So simple, but a total game-changer.
The Camino is filled with symbols. There are scallop shells everywhere. They are one of the signs of a pilgrim, or peregrino. The shells are worn on each traveler’s backpack, and they appear everywhere in the artwork and even in the architecture.
But not only shells, there are gourds as well. These traditionally were dried and filled with water and would hang from the end of their walking sticks. The two objects, shell and gourd, represent the plate and cup of pilgrims for centuries.
But another crucial symbol is the yellow arrow. These are spray painted throughout the entire Camino and point you in the direction you are supposed to head. Whenever you lose your way, you simply look for the yellow arrow.
It can feel a bit like a treasure hunt as you wind through city streets, meander through meadows, or crest mountaintops. Is this the right way? The clue is always there, sometimes obvious, other times not so. You look for either the arrow or the scallop shell. Or often both. They assure you that you are heading in the right direction, at least til you hit the next intersection.
It is fun, although it can feel a bit disorienting at times. Every once in a while you pause in the middle of the street in doubt…did we miss it? Is this the way? And often there is a local Spaniard who winks and points you gently in the right direction.
Walking in this way feels like an accurate metaphor for life, if you ask me. Too often I’m looking for some divine message to be written in the stars or declared from the heavens, when in fact it appears in ways much more subtle. An arrow that might go unnoticed unless you are paying attention. Searching for the way. And knowing what to look for.
There is a book I’ve come to love called A Tree Full of Angels, by Macrina Wiederkehr. In it she talks about following God is often like following a trail of bread crumbs. That there is a path left for us, if we have eyes to see. The crumbs don’t scream out at us or flash brightly. But they are there for those with eyes to see. For pilgrims who are searching for the way.
She writes, “Holiness comes wrapped in the ordinary. There are burning bushes all around you. Every tree is full of angels. Hidden beauty is waiting in every crumb.”
Which is how it feels so far. Little nudges from God as I walk.
We ended our first day by leaving a stone at the foot of a large iron cross that stands at the highest point of the Camino. That stone represents something you no longer wish to carry. A sin possibly, a grief, maybe an unwanted burden. The whole way here I’ve been thinking what that stone meant for me. And I didn’t know. Not until I cast it amidst the pile of stones already left behind.
And then it was suddenly clear. What the stone represented at least, but not why. I had no idea what the stone meant before I threw it, and honestly, was a bit startled at what it was that came to mind. But it came with tears. Which usually means I’m on the right track.
But as I walk I am finding the answer why coming in simple little glimpses. These little arrows pointing the way. Breadcrumbs left behind for me to follow. No final answers, just the reassurance that I’m on the right path. Stepping further into what God has in store for me.
And I recognize this playful God, that hides at times, and leaves clues planted here and there. A God who says “Come find me. And when you do, you’ll find yourself.”
I sure love you guys! More to come.