Ordinary Gente

We are 30 days away from leaving comfortable Southern California to walk across part of Northern Spain. This is no simple walk in the park we are preparing for. Instead, Luis and I are planning on a 100-kilometers trek from Sarria to Santiago (SdC) along the Camino Francés. I don’t know exactly when I first heard of this pilgrimage route. It was probably when I was 19 and I went with a Stanford overseas program to Spain. That was in 1979, a notable branching-out time for me, one of many forks in the road. Over the years, both of my sisters and a couple of cousins have walked the Camino Portuguese from Oporto to Santiago. I read several books about the Camino and habitually followed their route. But I was not comfortable leaving work when they went. Fast forward to the current day, my boss shared that she walked the Camino last summer during a lull in the COVID pandemic. Once we talked about it, she gave me the encouragement to go. The final message for me to go was when my mom died and I realized time is flying. I want to reconcile my relationship with her as well as my roles in life as a new grandma and as my retirement from education is on the horizon.

Luis and I took a deep breath, gambled that COVID would be at bay, and we booked flights. That was in October 2021, a mere 5 months ago. The Pandemic has brought into focus the decisions we make and those things that are important.

We have walked and walked and walked since then. It’s been great to reconnect with Luis without distraction. We have explored Southern California canyons and nearby river channels. We’ve trained in weather ranging from sunny and cool, to gloomy and dry. We shopped for backpacks and tested them, pared-down clothes to the essentials, tried out our walking sticks and camelback water bladders. Beyond the physical preparation and assembling the pilgrimage gear, we’ve prepared logistically: trains, lodgings, insurance, itineraries, COVID testing requirements. Emotionally and spiritually the preparation is interior work. It’s in my head and in my heart.

Yesterday, after two grueling days at work, presenting 9 professional development workshops I walked off the stress by going on a solo walk around the neighborhood. Luis was enjoying his typical Wednesday clear across LA, watching our darling granddaughter. So I walked alone. The walk helped ground me. clearing my mind of the jumble. And though the scenery was simply the city streets, it was good to be out after a long day at work.

The walk on March 9, 2022 https://www.relive.cc/view/vMq5EB2XY8q/png?x-ref=sc