Upland CA
This morning I sit in the upstairs bedroom at Aunt Pam's home, listening to rain. It is mostly a sprinkle, with occasional spurts of heavier showers, that has been going on for nearly a half of an hour. I know the people here, walking to that sound of raindrops, will be so happy. Perhaps the precipitation of El Niño that has been hitting us so hard in Hawaii is finally beginning to get to this area of the world.
In the past few days, I've been reflecting upon my time on the Camino last year. One year ago today, we were at Cruz de Ferro, a significant and emotional place on El Camino. The need to go back to my writings and determine where we were on these days, a year earlier, has been prompted by my growing desire to walk again. What is it about El Camino de Santiago that compels so many people to walk again? Upon reaching Santiago de Compostella and the cathedral last year I would not have believed that I would want to walk that way again, but I do.
John was in such pain, from Leon to Santiago, that we were both fixed almost exclusively on completion, returning home and getting him to a doctor. This is a portion I would like to do again, and then continue on to Finisterra. John, who spent part of his childhood in Spain, wants to do the section of the El Camino from Barcelona to Zaragosa, where his family lived. And then there is El Camino Portugese, a trek from Lisbon, through Porto and into Santiago. This trek sounds like a less difficult walk, with very little of the elevation extremes that the El Camino Frances has.
What compels me to walk this journey again? Is it a need to feel that special oneness with others walking? Or to spend that time with John? Or, perhaps, a need to feel the closeness to God that I experienced on the trek last year? I know that many people walk El Camino a second, third or many more times. When we met people last year who were not walking for the first time, we asked them why. Why do you to this to yourself again? I don't remember any of them having an explanation. The heart yearns to be there, so the body follows.
I know it will take a bit of time for John to heal from his shoulder surgery. I suspect it will take up to a year for his entire range of motion to return. We've been told that he should have most of it back in six months. During this time of healing and recovery, I think a bit of planning may be in order.
The birds have started singing on this early morning, and the showers have subsided. All I hear of the rain now are the few lone drops falling from the roof to the table umbrella under my window. As the early morning is beginning to get light, there is a bit of precious water making the sidewalk shiny. Blessings.
I will continue to ponder the next El Camino trek and to discuss it with my love, John. And yes, he has been expressing a desire to return.
The pull is strong and is certainly undeniable. El Camino de Santiago, you are powerful.
