“They say the way you do the Camino reflects the way you live your life”.

You come across this quote a lot when you’re on the Camino, but you’re not really sure what it means. As time passes, I wonder if I’ll find it somewhat rings true.

Throughout the experience I enjoyed meeting a wide variety of people from all around the world, each with their own story to why they were there and how it was affecting them. As much as I adored the fellow pilgrims I met (well, most of them), somewhere along the path at some time there were selfish ones who believed their ‘pilgrim’ status was superior to the needs of the local people. I always place a great deal of importance of leaving ‘nothing but footprints’, so it was disheartening to see poor behaviour and even graffiti on a cemetery. It was very embarrassing to be seen as a ‘pilgrim’, a definite low point for me.

Fortunately, the high points were many and far outweighed the low points. My greatest enjoyment was my alone time, when I was left with my thoughts and able to build a connection with the magical path.

I still think of the rustic, stone villages that offered cafe con leche, sustenance through tortilla, and an occasional shot of pasharan to numb the pain. I miss the understanding eyes peeking from under dripping wet ponchos, and the welcoming smile of my hosts for the night.

Mostly, I miss two things. The big-hearted family in Leon who totally captured my heart. I still think about them every day. And secondly, the wildflower-lined path that lead me through fields of crops and vineyards, over foggy hill passes and to the door of stunning churches where I’d find warmth and protection from the elements.

It’s all too easy to be distracted from this experience, to forget the sense of freedom and accomplishment that fed my soul. But, if I find a quiet place to focus my mind, I can stir inside me, and around me, the energy of the thousands of people who walked before me, over hundreds and maybe thousands of years. And I can feel that a part of my spirit has joined theirs, that we’re connected with a bond across the oceans. I must not forget this.

Don’t forget me, my special friend, El Camino. I will be back. Hasta luego!