Day 082q: Flowing up that Hill … (July 05, 2019)
Hills proved challenging for the majority of my time on The Way – at least from the moment my hip starting sending its searing messages of pain in southern Germany all the way until said discomfort finally dissipated and then disappeared somewhere in western Spain. And even though I was at this point in the journey steadily approaching the latter, I had definitely not yet arrived there – which meant that hills still needed to be conquered intentionally and willfully, more often than not at a tempo that was unmanageable (or at the very least uncomfortable) for most if not all of my shorter-limbed fellow pilgrims. And such was the case here, where Mate & I – already overheated and somewhat exhausted from the day’s laborious walking – came upon the pictured hill. Needing to conquer the same at my body’s unique pace and yet also wanting to continue in Mate’s company*, I told him that I was going to flow relatively swiftly to the top and wait for him there. This was all accomplished without crises, and I was able to both cheer Mate on from the summit and rest my dust-addled feet on the shaded bench we thereafter found there …
“We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another, encourage one another and gain instruction from one another – that we might all regularly sit and rest in peace together.” ~ inspired by Lucy Mack Smith
*It is always a challenge for any Peace Pilgrim to remain with co-travelers for only the “correct” amount of time – seeing as how remaining together for too long often dissuades others from approaching (others who might be ready & sincerely desirous of learning about &/or sharing the wisdoms of The Way), and seeing as how flowing onward away from a fellow pilgrim too soon will preclude him or her from being deeply enough inspired to possibly attempt The Way for him or herself. In the case at hand, it had become pretty clear that the time was soon approaching for Mate and I to go our separate ways, and yet even clearer still that this parting had not yet fully arrived.
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