The Way Ahead

“Aim for the sky, but move slowly, enjoying every step along the way. It is all those little steps that make the journey complete.” Chanda Kochar

It’s been a year of steady steps. Sure there’s been blisters, sprained ankles, and aching limbs but we have reached this plateau with gratitude. While the journey of preparation ends, a new journey begins. Tuesday morning we board a bus for San Sebastian to start the Camino de Santiago, named for St. James. We will start in Irun, Spain, near the border of France and start walking the 500 miles on September 1. Our backpacks are packed, as well as our suitcases, and everything we own is back in storage again–which amounts to 5 suitcases. It is always an exhilarating moment taking off for paths and ways unknown. We start mentally and physically tough despite knowing that within a week we will wonder if what we have undertaken, has taken too much. Journeys by nature deplete reserves. But hope is packed in between our socks and seashells and on rainy, muddy days it will be our light to cling to. While we look for markers to point the way to Santiago, we will look internally for markers pointing the way to resilience.

“Resilience is distinct from mere survival, and more than mere endurance. Resilience is often endurance with direction. “Eric Greitens

Can’t start a journey without looking back first. Here is a compilation of our year long camino preparation of walking from 5 to 15 miles without injury or blisters despite heat and humidity. A long road but worth every step.