Carpe Diem.
5 years. That is the time since I took a long trip. Traveling, once a frequent hobby of mine, seemed so foreign to me while I was going through the airport. After being on the road for more than 20 hours, there was a sense of uncertainty and discomfort, not knowing how this adventure would impact my life. I guessed the best way to enjoy this trip was to have no expectations at all.
Arriving at Saint Jean Pied De Porte, the starting point of the Camino Frances, I was greeted by Eric, the owner of the Albergue I was staying in. He had walked the Camino more than 10 times in his life. Before checking me in, he told me, in this deep mystical voice, the rules of the Camino:
Be kind to yourself and listen to your body
Carpe Diem
Be happy with what is/be happy with yourself
Do not control the outcome
Indeed, the journey was filled with physical challenges, living in the present and going with the flow. Unknowingly, Eric’s words kept resurfacing in my mind throughout the whole journey. I guessed the magic of the Camino lies in the encounters that the pilgrims had along the way and the countless stories that were retold over and over again upon their return home.
Listen to your body. While walking along the trail, I met a German man who told me that the Camino is broken up into three stages: physical, mental, and spiritual. The first 10 days of the journey take a toll on the body, and adjusting to it can be quite a challenge, especially when crossing the Pyrenees to enter Spain.
Then, comes the Meseta, the desert of the Camino. After accustoming to the physical part, this stage is a test of the mind. Here, the landscape is flat, the sun beats down on the earth, and the horizon seems to stretch endlessly. Walking through the Meseta requires a different kind of endurance: mental endurance.
The seemingly monotonous terrain can wear on the mind, but it also offers a unique opportunity for introspection and reflection. With the sun beating down and nothing but the sound of footsteps, Pilgrims have time to reflect on their lives and motivations while walking the Camino. Some may find that the Meseta is the most challenging part of the journey, while others may find it to be the most rewarding.
Carpe Diem. There is somewhat an unspoken rule on “The Way”, between some pilgrims, that contacts are seldom exchanged as one should allow things to be the way it is and let nature take its course.
During my Camino, one of the first pilgrims I met expressed his desire to stay emotionally detached from others, wishing to remain fluid and create his own path. However, despite the brief amount of time we spent together, we connected on a deep level. He shared his entire life story with me as we walked side by side.
As we parted ways at the junction between Urdaniz and Larrasoana, we exchanged reluctant goodbyes, uncertain when we would meet again.
I met an entrepreneur on the trail who had quit her corporate job and had been walking for a month to find direction in her life. Her grandpa had cancer when she left, but he gave her a camera to "bring" the Camino back to him. We spoke about the meaning and purpose of our lives. Conversations like this often reveal "mirrors" of myself, allowing me to reflect on my life back home.
The next morning, we set off on our own ways and never saw each other again. Every moment is fleeting. This was just one of many such instances on the trail. People we connect with can disappear in an instant, just as in life. If we don't seize the moment, it may not come around again.
Stories of Serenity, Faith, and Love. Acts of love are a common sight on the Camino. The day before starting their journey, a group of pilgrims voluntarily bought a German lady almost a full set of trekking gear, after her backpack was stolen at the bus drop-off point. As the saying goes, the Camino provides.
During one of the communal sharing sessions in an Albergue in Sahagun, the brother who was looking after the place asked us about our motivations for walking the Camino. One of the pilgrims was a blind and almost mute Portuguese man who painstakingly uttered the word "love" in a weak voice. That impact was so profound that some of us were moved to tears. There were also pilgrims who embark on the Camino to reflect after experiencing a painful divorce or questioning the direction of their life.
In Rabanal del Camino, I woke up in the early hours of the morning to accompany a group of pilgrims on a walk to the highest point of the Camino, the Cruz de Ferro. Legend has it that you must bring a stone from home that represents your burdens and leave it at the foot of the cross. Witnessing the break of dawn while standing at the foot of the Cruz de Ferro was a profoundly spiritual and emotional experience.
Injuries were a common occurrence along the Camino, but the love from the "Camino families" made it feel less lonely. While walking with my Italian Camino family, a lady hurt her knee but refused to stop. The rest of the group immediately took turns carrying her backpack, on top of their own, until we reached the next town or destination.
Being in touch with our inner self. The spiritual and final stage of the Camino may be the most transformative of all. It offers an opportunity for individuals to connect with their inner selves and find purpose and meaning in life. Acts of love, empathy, and kindness are common on the Camino, reminding pilgrims of the importance of human connection and compassion. Hearing your footsteps and feeling the "Camino breeze" is a meditative process that allows you to connect with nature and reflect on your life.
Lessons Learnt. No one walks the Camino by accident. It is a kind of calling at the appropriate time of our lives, and the people we meet are supposed to teach us some life lessons. If I were to summarize the whole Camino experience, I would say that it taught me to love, be present, embrace the randomness of life, and be unconditionally happy with myself.
As we reached Santiago, we felt emptiness, as if there were no more goals for us to strive for. The Camino cannot be simply explained with words; it is a feeling, a unique feeling that will linger for a long time. To end it off, as one wise Korean pilgrim told me, "Life starts at the end of the Camino, when we see the 0.00 km mark at the final destination."
Buen Camino.
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