Day 063s: Plodding to Peace … (06/16/2019)
On & on & on I walked after leaving Bach – ever slower & slower, ever in more & more physical discomfort (my hips were still nowhere close to 100% healed at this point), and ever with less & less water remaining in my handy bottle. I had originally intended to flow all the way to the city of Cahors today, and yet the pilgrim must listen to the path, not his plans; must deal with what actually is, not strive to fulfill what could or should be. And so it was that I limped around a bend in the (thankfully) smooth path and saw the town of Le Pech high up on a hill to my right. I wasn’t too thrilled with the prospect of walking what turned out to be an extra mile+ uphill out of my way (especially after having already walked 35km on the day), and yet by this time my water supply was at zero and the late afternoon was still remarkably toasty, so up the hill I trudged.
And how fortunate I was to have done so! For near the top of said climb I saw again to my right an ivy-bedecked Gite d’Etape – a local hostel that happened to be run by Alex & Annelise, the latter of whom (after I had asked for a glass of water and told her of my mission) without hesitation invited me in to stay for the night … :O
Just as wonderful, the other pilgrims on hand (Claude & Annique & Roland – all French, along with Tony from Ireland) with just as little pause invited me to share what turned out to be an absolutely lovely dinner with them that evening … :O :O
Afterwards, while the rest of my compatriots were resting in various ways (Tony sitting on the veranda and Claude calling a relative to tell him/her about my Walk and Annique/Roland lounging in their respective beds), I made a Peace Stone to give to Annelise, who was overtly overjoyed to receive the same … 🙂
“Help me to ever maintain my dignity by respecting others every day … In faith, in prayer, and in humble service let me enlighten their lives with Truth.” ~ via Lucie de Lucey (a quote from a Camino book I found in the hostel that night)
;