One of the more intriguing (and indeed ironic*) discoveries of The Walk was the apparent fact that the closer one was to an open bakery (like the one pictured below that I came across this morning in the town of Montfaucon), the less likely it became for sustenance to be offered by the people one […]
Even though I regularly (and gratefully) entered many dozens of churches (and walked up to &/or around many hundreds more) along The Way, it was rare that I would regret not being able to enter one that had its doors closed to me. This church (found at the center of Montfaucon), for whatever reason, was […]
“To be a star, we must shine our own light; never worrying about the surrounding darkness, for indeed in the void is where stars shine brightest. Likewise, to be a pilgrim, we must walk our own walk; never worrying about the path’s pains & tribulations, for it is in times of angst or worry that […]
Very shortly thereafter I walked by a quaintly gardened home and waved to the residents (Jean & Genevieve) sitting therein. They waved enthusiastically back to me so I thought I would call through the open windows and ask for a glass of water before heading along my way. Well, Genevieve got right up from her […]
“We do not create our destiny by ourselves, but rather participate in our own particular portion of its unfolding. It is synchronicity that provides our signposts along the way, and it is our courage that provides the power to the walking of it.” ~ inspired by David Richo
I’m not sure why, but these mini-cairns left alongside The Path by pilgrims previous always brought a smile to my face and a glow to my Soul — on a superficial level, possibly, by verifying that I was indeed still walking the Camino route proper, and yet on a far deeper level, most definitely, by […]
The vast majority of the 2500+ km I walked in Europe took place on pathways mostly clear of vegetation or debris. And yet every now & then I was in deed forced to forge through thickets a bit thicker … 😉 “Every good pilgrim knows well the truth that the only step that is ever […]
I then came to this wonderful juxtaposition of the new with the old — the uber-modern homestead nestled into the mostly medieval French backcountry, and the worn-down ruins of a similar refuge just a few meters away; together serving as a potent reminder of a triad of Truths: 01) that the Earth will ever remain […]
“We are at once droplet and wave, wave and ocean – both unique & integral to the Universe in which we reside.” ~ via O’Murphy
“Pilgrims cannot walk smoothly while clinging to preconceived notions of their path’s better speed or proper vector or even ultimate destination. Indeed, to maximize the latent power of their journeying, the pilgrim must be fully free to walk in the exact tempo and specific direction that each individual moment demands … Similarly, non-pilgrims and pilgrims […]
On & on & on I walked through the bright-yet-cool morning, eventually arriving at what I thought was a wayside pilgrim’s hostel, but what actually tuned out to be the wayside home of Philippe & Laurence — a friendly French couple who invited me into the kitchen and offered me a fresh coffee and a […]
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