Today instead of waking up ready to face a full day ahead I felt like I am ready to take a final exam I did not study for.
I am not usually someone that gets nervous but I could not calm my anxious heart.
I am aware that today we have an incline that will tax me.
We checked out of our hotel and decided that we were going to start our day with breakfast. As we walked a block of the Camino several concerned Logroño residents went out of our way to tell us we had gone off course.
We found a small coffee shop and for 3.50€ we got served 2 eggs sausage, bacon toast and coffee.
After eating our fill (I was not that hungry an barely ate) we headed out to rejoin the Camino. Today’s walk entailed walking out of the city of Logroño. This would be a three mile walk until at the edge of town we would come to a large park called San Miguel.
I must have had a face that spoke of apprehension and fear because this day I received “Buen Camino” from almost everyone local I came across with.
The kindness of the greeting slowly calmed my heart and made me feel supported and able to face what may come our way.
When we stayed in Lorca, Dan had the opportunity to talk to a fellow pilgrim that shared with him a new app. This app, unlike mine gives you detailed maps and elevations and pictures of he terrain. This appeals to my husband. For me, this makes me crazy. I would rather know just the distance and not all of the other stuff because it makes me worry in advance. I rather get there and face it.
Yet another difference between my husband and I.
As we exited the park, we were going to cross a nature preserve with lots of beautiful views and animals in our path. As the scenery began to change I really loved what laid ahead of me. The beauty of the preserve stretched across in front of me for as long as the eye could see.
Once again I was in deep need of a bathroom. Just as I though i could not make it a local walking by feeding the squirrels said the worlds I longed to hear: BAR…
I quickly made my way and then found Dan sitting in the courtyard facing the pond.
From our vantage point we could see a family of swans. Mom and Dad sat in front of their babies in a protective manner and kept a watchful eye on the strangers that were not too far from them.
As we got to walking after this much appreciated break, we enjoyed a steady incline and Dan walked ahead of me.
I took the time to bask in the beauty of nature, the birds singing in the trees and the promise that perhaps the rain would not come back.
During the early part of the day we had had a steady drizzle that kept me covered from head to toe.
Soon as I reached the high point of the walk we were next to a chain link fence with makeshift crosses inserted in the links. The crosses were of different shapes and sizes. Some had names or Mass cards for loved ones departed. This made me think of how much love and dedication is put forth by pilgrims making this trek.
Today interestingly enough, as we left Logroño we stopped at a church. We prayed and Dan dedicated his walk to his parents, my dad, his brother Tommy and nephew Chris, along with all the soldiers who had given their life.
Soon in the distance we saw the iconic big black bull of Rioja. It was great to see him in the distance growing in size.
Upon getting to the front of the bull we saw our destination on the distance.
We walked and my heel pain was becoming more acute. I did a lot of thinking and I recalled that as I bitched and moaned about how I felt and how much in pain I was in the more that was out influencing my thoughts. I realized that in life I try to stay as positive as possible and yet my own time of physical challenges I tend to repeat mantras that don’t serve me. You can ask any trainer or coach I have had at the gym. When asked how am I doing? My typical response is I am dying here. All of the sudden I realized that this simple refrain tells my brain that I am done, that it is hard and that there is little hope. Soon I realized this needed to change. If I were encouraging anyone I would say to them NO you are doing it… you are killing it. I soon realized that all along the hard road despite the pain l had been killing it. Just like my husband and my friend Jerri Perry had been telling me. I am doing this like my coach Corinne says the challenge of the task at hand is not killing me. I am a slayer of challenges and a conqueror of goals.
As I continued to “kill it” down the path, I cannot say that the road became easier. I knew from Dan’s app that the ruins of an old pilgrim hospital would mark the entrance of the town of Navarrete.
I could not look ahead at this time, nor could I look back.
I think many times in our life journey we look back with regret and look forward with apprehension to where we want to go. Or even worse, we get so caught up in the minutia of the moment that we don’t take time to count our blessings. It is important to stay in the moment as long as we look at where we are with the eyes of joy and a grateful heart.
As I walked them last few steps to the town up on the hill, a young man passed me exuding joy and happiness despite the rain that was now steadily falling. He looked at me and with a great big smile said you are killing it! You’ve got this.
I was floored that my new theme for my efforts had been confirmed.
Some people may feel this is a nice coincidence. I know better, I am certain that this is God-incidence. Every day in every-way I see how I am blessed and getting to be a better version of me.
Tonight as we arrived in Navarette we checked into our Albergue. It is owned by a Spaniard named Juan who has done the Camino several times.
Our room was in the 3rd floor and we were able to pick our beds. This was great. After a shower I climbed into my sleeping bag and had the coziest of naps. Upon waking we headed to the town and walked into the most gorgeous church I had seen in a long time. To some church after church on the Camino begin to look like the same thing. However this one was special. It has a map at the entrance where pilgrims could pin point where in the world they are from. I loved seeing that pilgrims come from every place you can imagine.
The church also had some beautiful wonderful vestment from hundreds of years prior. This gives visitors a good glimpse into the history of this amazing road.
We ducked into a small coffee shop next to the church and spoke to the owners for a while. This lovely married couple had us try a bottle of white Rioja wine. It was delightful.
Dinner was at our Albergue with our fellow Pilgrims. Pedro who we met out first night at Casa Magica was there. He is an insightful older gentleman with a lot of joy to share.
The young man who told me I was killing it and his friend were there too. These two young men are from Georgia want to see the world.
Other fellow Dinner mates included Naomi from England and two ladies from Francs. We had an animated conversations that spanned many languages yes shared the joy of connecting in a deeper level since we are all in this together.
Tomorrow more road to kill and lessons to learn.
NY RedRose 