Personal Reflections by Sandy, Pilgrim 2

Three weeks ago, we walked into Santiago.  It feels incredible that it is over.  The Camino has been such a focus over the last few months that I feel a tremendous void at this time.  Joanie led the group with preparations but we all had so much fun determining what we would need and how to obtain the lightest pack.  We were successful, our packs were great.
The walk was an amazing experience.  I loved the simplicity.  Nothing on our agenda except walking.  Our lives are so busy and complicated but it is a joy to simplify life.  Our days consisted of walking, talking, thinking, drinking and eating.  Our only jobs were to buy a bit of food and to wash a few items of clothing.  As life gets busy again, I hope I can remember the joy of simplicity.
I loved spending time with the other pilgrims.  We met people from all over the world but we were all equal.  Conversations never evolved around jobs, money or hectic schedules.  We discussed our Camino experiences and of course, feet, came up fairly often.
Walking for so long gave us time to reflect on life.  A pilgrimage is a spiritual journey and we were able to reflect on our priorities in life and our beliefs and feelings about our place in the world and our own spiritual journey.  It was wonderful to share these feelings.
It was a hard moment for me when we decided to take a bus and miss a section of the walk.  The saying goes, The Camino, will show you the way and I learned that walking every kilometer was not the most important aspect of the Camino.  The Camino is much more than just a walk.  As a group, we were stronger and enriched as we pulled together.  Being able to share this experience with three fantastic and strong women was the highlight of this journey.  Although life was simple, it was also hard to walk so far every day, to be in physical pain, to be away from family and friends and to sleep in a different bed every night but the strength we gave each other encouraged us to continue.  All the family and friends following the blog and sending us supportive messages also was a tremendous help.
I am glad I have had this experience and I am glad I have been part of pilgrims 4.  A huge thank-you to pilgrim 1 (joanie), 3 (Muriel) and 4 (jan).

Love Pilgrim 2 (Sandy)