Logrono to Ventosa 20K Day Six

While following the Camino trail today, we came upon a wire fence lining the path. This fence was covered with crosses that pilgrims had created out of sticks, grape vine, and grasses. At some points you could barely see the wire fence for crosses. The mural of crosses went on for over a kilometer and I was brought to tears. My mantra everyday had been, ¨My body is a temple¨ and I had repeated this mantra at every pilgrim alter along the Camino. I had felt that my strength for the Camino would come from within myself and that if I took care of my body, I would eventually arrive in Santiago. However, last night I was humbled by the numbers of young, athletic people injured, sick, and barely hanging on at this early stage of the Camino.

While walking along the trail of crosses, I felt the first melding of body and soul. I realized that as my body accumulated the mileage of the pilgimage, my strength was not going to just come from my body and my strength of will. As I walked that trail of crosses, I could feel an energy coming from the ancient earth under my feet and I could feel the presence of the millions of pilgrims who had walked the path before me. I could feel their stength and the strength of the fraternity of pilgrims walking the path with me right now. The crosses on that wire fence symbolized, for me, hope for the future, faith in a greater being, and love for our fellow human beings (past, present, and future)and I struck a new rhythm of walking. One does not walk the Camino, the Camino walks you.

We are pilgrims on a journey,
Fellow travellers on the road,
We are here to help each other,
Walk the mile and share the load.