The warm-hearted Polo ended up driving right back up the first hill I had climbed – right past Allesandro’s not-so-welcoming hostel, and right to the front stairwell of the Chapelle des Ursulines. He told me he couldn’t guarantee my entrance thereto, and that I was on my own from there, and yet our parting of ways was a warm one, as his Kindness had indeed given me renewed strength and a refreshed resolve. I then walked up said stairwell and knocked on the church’s massive door. Didier, the manager of the same, opened said portal and – even though clearly not believing a word of what I told him about my Walk of Faith from Germany to his doorstep – proceeded to let me in without hesitation. I had told him that I wasn’t asking for anything other than a dry place to sleep the night (I even told him quite sincerely that I didn’t even need a bed if the hostel was already be full), and yet to his enormous credit he brought me in, introduced me to all the other pilgrims (who were in the midst of eating dinner together in the sanctuary’s great hall), and told me to have a seat at the table with them. Still in shock at such an astounding offer of humble Kindness (especially when juxtaposed with the day’s many previous rejections and my immense feelings of despair & exhaustion), I began to deeply weep when I was immediately treated like royalty by the staff on hand – with them gently bringing me a stunningly delicious vegan meal on the spot. Indeed, I was so moved by their gestures of goodwill that I could do nothing for awhile but stare through my tears at the food in front of me, almost unable to believe that such amazing grace had been given to me after such a difficult day of often quite astounding lack & callousness …

“Ah, it is the arms of Love that ever encompass you in your present, your past, and your future. It is ever the arms of Love that gather us all together as One.” ~ via Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

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