Santiago de Compostela
—I Made It!
“To feel the pull, the draw, the interior attraction, and to want to follow it, even if it has no name still, that is the pilgrim spirit. The ‘why’ only becomes clear as time passes, only long after the walking is over.” —Kevin A. Codd
There was no rush like it - arriving through the stone arch to the sound of a bagpipe, this time as a pilgrim among peers. There was a sense of belonging as well as success. I had “set a goal so big that I couldn’t achieve it until I grew into the person who could” —unknown.
A few snapshots of pilgrims arriving from their journey, alone, in pairs, in families, and larger groups - on foot and bicycle. I was surrounded by joy.
I’d worried that, because I began my journey in Santiago de Compostela, arriving back would feel anti-climatic. On one level, it did - I wasn’t seeing the courtyard and cathedral with fresh eyes, but seeing it through a pilgrim’s eyes more than made up for it. I’d purposefully not entered the Cathedral prior to my Camino, or stood on the marker. When I finally did, my legs trembled, my heart was full, and my eyes teared up. I’d done it! —and strangers were kind enough to capture the moment on camera for me. As I stood there, I felt Farren’s presence with me telling me how she wanted her Camino to end in the screenplay.
Afterward, I stood in what seemed like a never-ending line of pilgrims to get my Compostella. Part of the process involved combining my pre-Camino certification in Canada with my pilgrim passport records to make sure I qualified for the Compostella. It isn’t done very often, so I contributed to the staff’s learning curve. The one to the left, with my name in Latin, is the official Compostella. All of this to say, “I made it!”
Later, I met up with Deirdre, who’d shared part of the pilgrimage with me. We celebrated with vino and tapas, said our “goodbye for now,” and became Facebook friends. I was alone again, but eager to explore.
Santiago de Compostella is such a vibrant place to spend time, well worth planning for, as a pilgrim or as a tourist. Amazing ambiance, food, wine, shops, churches - the Cathedral - and more. Relax at one of the many open-air restaurants with a glass of wine and they’ll bring you a free side, a bigger one if you ask for a menu. The city is full of places to explore and to people-watch, including the Paseo da Ferradura which I will talk about in another post.
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If you are a pilgrim who speaks English, particularly if you traveled alone, the Outreach to English-Speaking Pilgrims in Santiago is a resource I would recommend. I went there before my Camino as well. I was in need of some spiritual comfort because my heart was so heavy with worry for my brother back home. I was able to be still and soak up the Mass, light a few candles for him, myself, and my children as I watched the smoke lift my prayers heavenward. I listened to pilgrims talk about their experiences. It was food for my soul for my journey and a sanctuary upon my return. A place to unpack my heart if not my suitcase.
Where do you seek strength and comfort in times of uncertainty or sorrow?
Are you able to write your heart out and make sense of your situation on the page?
I wish that for you.
Ultreia! Forward, together!
