It was only three days after celebrating my birthday in Santiago last year that I stated: "There is no amount of money I would accept to walk again."
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| birthday celebrations with Camino Familia and pastel de Santiago 2013 |
And yet, yesterday I rang in another Camino birthday as I walk with the co-producer job I recently accepted a few weeks ago. Sometimes life is crazy like that...
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| my wonderful APOC hospitalera who made my day! |
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| birthday presents come in the form of packets of almond butter on the Camino... |
Jess and I were granted special access to the church apex after pronouncing to the hospitalera in Granon that it was my birthday. The eve before concluded with the best gift to receive: the highly coveted peanut & almond butter packets. I was awoken to light piercing through stained glass, a carried handmade pennant all the way from Ashley Peters, and a group breakfast song of "I would walk 500 miles..." When Jessica asked me what I wanted to do on my birthday, I answered: "I want to walk the Camino!" So we did. Through sprawling sunflower fields and echoed 'buen caminos,' eating my way through chocolate and croissants dipped in coffee, and the whole time loving life in my birthday crown.
It wasn't until we arrived 20k later to the town of Tosantos that life started to feel a lot less like my birthday and a lot more like a Camino Low. We entered the albergue as sweaty, exhausted pilgrims to an angry priest, a missing bag of equipment, and a completely lost Phil. I forgot my towel in the shower of cold water and the wait for the one toilet was about 12 people long. When I picked up my bag to carry it to my portion of floor space, everything fell out in a mess before my eyes. It wasn't until I learned that the only bar in town was closed because the owner was sick that I ran away with tears to the nearest spot of shade on the trail.
As I sat in the tear-stained dirt, I wondered how a day could turn so ugly... a day that should be about joy and presents and cake and celebration and all things I love most in life. That's what a birthday is, right?!
In these moments it feels like the Camino is so naturally handing me life lessons I will turn to for wisdom in days to come. Perhaps year 28 is blessed as it begins with this range of emotions, this contrast and conflict, joy and pain. I am reminded of the human experience in the gladness and grief. Yesterday, I am lucky to have had the gift of both... a glimpse of what I hope to feel as this year continues. Sometimes all it takes is a birthday breakdown to reveal it.
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Ah, the first post-wedding, back-to-the-Camino post. Iv'e been waiting for this one! Sounds like you had sort of a rough birthday, which you nonetheless accepted with your usual courage and willingness to learn whatever lessons are presenting themselves. Just one tiny mathematical point, if I may. Did you just turn 28? If so, that makes the next year your 29th. You've begun your 29th year of life. On the road. The holy road. Feliz cumpleanos, otra vez, y mucho mas Buen Camino!
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