Day 50n: A double dose of Goodness … (06/03/2019)
The hostel in Le Puy wasn’t open until later that afternoon, so I returned to the tourist information office to see if they had any information on hand related to what might lay in store for me along the upcoming legs of the Camino. I hadn’t really collected any facts or tidbits about The Way in France, and thought it might be a good idea to at least know generally in which direction the Camino headed and where its future layovers best lay. And seeing as how Le Puy is one of the world’s busiest pilgrimage hubs, such information was indeed readily available — for purchase (:O ), and yet Fatiha & Karin (the two office employees on hand that day) graciously supported my Walk by letting me sit down with one of their better (and more expensive) pilgrim guidebooks and copy as much information from the same as I desired … :O
And it was while I was doing so that Fate smiled gently upon me once more, for as I was doing so an obviously jovial gentleman entered the office and started speaking to Fatiha & Karin in a noticeable German accent. I took the same to be a destined slice of serendipity and asked him (in German) where he was from. True to his warm smile and laughing demeanor, he told me his name was Hartmut and he sat down next to me and we shared the basic details of our respective pilgrimages (mine by foot as a mendicant Peace Pilgrim, and his by bicycle as an earnest seeker of peace). We only talked initially for a few minutes before he excused himself and departed, and yet he returned very shortly thereafter and said he had been thinking about the bold (i.e. penniless) nature of my pilgrimage asked me if I would like to join him for brunch in the town square … :O
And what followed thereafter was truly one of the highlights of my entire Walk — namely several unbroken hours of non-stop, meaning-laden conversation with a like-hearted Soul. For it turned out that Hartmut was a retired professor of ethics & religion ( :O ), and we spent our glorious time together that afternoon quickly forging a fast friendship while discussing like-minded topics of great importance — sharing stories about the various times when we each had the courage to radically put Jesus’ edict of “Loving the enemy” into practice, railing with equal vehemence against the modern-day scourge of “Heilsegoismus” (or the “holy egotism” — Hartmut’s term) that is currently being propagated by so many conservative members of so many of the world’s religions, and discussing at length the critical role that courageous choice plays in the endless everyday dance that constantly plays out between the ego (which ever seeks to have us walk our lives as mere tourists, always with our own comfort or betterment in mind) and the Soul (which continuously encourages us to tread an opposing path — to walk through life as spiritual pilgrims; selflessly caring for others both boldly & kindly instead) … 😀
“Friendship is as crucial as it is ultimately unnecessary. For, like philosophy and conversation and art, it simultaneously has no survival value in & of itself and is one of those few things which give worth to our survival.” ~ via C.S. Lewis
;