Even though this day was one of very few direct interactions with others (I didn’t see many pilgrims on the road, and today’s path didn’t pass by many local residents either), it was – quite thankfully – a day that offered an unusually prevalent amount of “donativo” stands; tables set up beside The Way and bedecked with various drinks and foodstuffs from which pilgrims could partake for free. I was already pretty hungry by the time I reached the first of such stands on this day (pictured below), and even though there wasn’t any food on hand for me (the cookies were pretty clearly not vegan*), the gratis coffee really hit the spot … 😀

“The truly generous are those who give silently, without hope of any praise or reward.” ~ via Carol Ryrie Brink

P.S. Non-vegan items were actually offered to me quite frequently along The Walk, and even though I never accepted the same, those same offers did provide wonderful opportunities for me to explain “Why in the world?” I wouldn’t accept such gifts while walking 3000 miles without any money – and often quite hungry while doing so. And every time I politely refused these admittedly yearned for foods – and every time I explained just as gently that I would rather die of hunger than even indirectly contribute to the suffering and violent death of the innocent, it really got folks to thinking – and maybe even inspired a few to adopt a compassionate vegan lifestyle of their own thereafter … 😉

Filed under: Peace Pilgrimage #02: Walking HOME (2019) by Scaughdt