2019 … A far finer Youth
Another two days passed, and the Sun was beginning to set when I found myself entering the city of Ponferrada. As it turned out I was one of the very last pilgrims to pull into the Albergue De Peregrinos San Nicolas De Flue. After being warmly welcomed by the hospitaleros on hand, I assumed (due to the relativelt late hour of my arrival) that I would quietly turn in for the night without being able to share with any other pilgrims on hand. And yet as was so often the case, the Camino (a.k.a. Life) had other plans, and as I was unpacking my things a jovial gaggle of college-aged youths approached me to ask what I was all about. I didn’t take them too seriously at first; thinking at the time that they were simply a “typical gang” of boys who had already had a bit too much to drink. And yet to my slight credit, I did pause to sincerely share with them about my Walk (as usual, not only its hows but also its whys). And to my more than slight surprise, they all immediately & effusively resonated with the same – so much so that they invited me to eat a late dinner with them that evening. I accepted their invitation with humble gratitude, and what followed was one of the more amazing sharings of my entire pilgrimage – six young men (Bosco, Gaspar, Andres, Nico, Eduardo, & Santiago), all of whom equally & earnestly interested in not only the principles behind The Walk, but also eagerly interested in applying the same to their own lives; six young men who showed me more honor & appreciation than a hundred adults before; six young men who humbled me with their inquisitiveness and their desire to make the world a better place; six young men who fully re-charged my enthusiasm for my own Mission; six young men who instantly became my Friends …
“It’s not the appearance that makes the man, it’s the man that makes an appearance. So refuse to worry at all about the former, and be sure to always make the latter grand.” ~ via Anthony Liccione
“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one & perfect accord by being so tuned, not to each other, but to another higher standard to which each must individually bow. So it is on pilgrimage – and so it can be in life. When one hundred walkers meet together, each looking for their own manifestation of the same higher Meaning & greater Purpose, they each become in heart so near to one another that they literally become One; each a single consciousness that turns away from all selfish seekings and rotates instead towards a pure sense of fellowship with each other and an untainted desire for peace amongst all humankind.” ~ inspired by A.W. Tozer
“Be not content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart shine with acts of loving kindness given to all who cross your path.” ~ Baha’u’llah
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