The day of departure has finally arrived and already we have a challenge ahead of us! I don't know how it happened, but our plan to walk 100 miles morphed to 100 km (62 miles) -- which was a relief to me, since I had had so many challenges this past year with fractures and inclement weather. Jean just discovered the discrepancy and is suggesting we reroute our starting point so we can do the 100 miles.
Sunday night I did a session of The Work (Byron Katie, www.thework.org)* and realized that I had been giving in to fearful thinking about the Camino, even with the supposed shorter mileage. What if this or that happens? Have I taken on too much? Will I have a lot of pain? After doing The Work, I felt much more confident and unafraid. Now I have to draw on that Work with this new challenge.
It's all part of the pilgrimage experience!
I will be praying for all the people in my life, including you, dear reader! Prayers for the three of us, please: CJ, Jean and Mary Jo. Thank you!
* 4 Questions and a Turnaround
Questions:
Is it true?
Can you absolutely know that it is true?
How do you react when you think that thought?
Who would you be without that thought?
The Turnaround takes more of an explanation. Check out the website!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Ruthless!
With less than a week to go, I find myself packing and unpacking and packing again. "We carry our fears in our backpacks." (To Walk Far, Carry Less) What am I taking with me "just in case" rather than "it's a real need"?
This morning I looked at the backpack itself. I noticed four loops on the outside that have no purpose for me. Should I cut them off? A bit of a mental struggle ensued: I could probably re-sell the bag for more if I leave it intact; on the other hand, I bought the backpack for this pilgrimage, and might even find future uses for it myself. Snip! Snip! Off came the loops.
The straps are all very long. I loosened them, put the backpack on, and then grabbed the straps to tighten them. There was still 'way too much strap on all of them. Snip! Snip! I was ruthless!
This morning I looked at the backpack itself. I noticed four loops on the outside that have no purpose for me. Should I cut them off? A bit of a mental struggle ensued: I could probably re-sell the bag for more if I leave it intact; on the other hand, I bought the backpack for this pilgrimage, and might even find future uses for it myself. Snip! Snip! Off came the loops.
The straps are all very long. I loosened them, put the backpack on, and then grabbed the straps to tighten them. There was still 'way too much strap on all of them. Snip! Snip! I was ruthless!
Monday, April 21, 2014
A Lesson About Pain
Holy Saturday I was able to get out for a 3 1/2 mile walk with my backpack on. Right at the beginning of the walk some pain in my left leg surprised me. I didn't know if I'd be able to do even a mile, but decided not to say anything to my walking partner, Sue, hoping the pain would work itself out. Well, to my surprise, it did! Engaging in an interesting conversation, I soon realized that my leg wasn't hurting at all. That's a good lesson for me to remember. Not all pains are going to be bothersome.
We'll be leaving a week from Tuesday!
We'll be leaving a week from Tuesday!
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Lesson from Cutting Flowers
A dear couple, friends of Mount St. Mary House of Prayer for years, brought us a beautiful bouquet of flowers for Easter. Since Sr. Theresina's back has been bothering her, she hasn't been down to the House of Prayer for a couple of weeks -- and she is our official flower-arranger (and taker-carer!).
I knew enough to cut the stems before putting them in water, and so I started, one stem at a time. But, hey! how about doing all of them at once?! And so I tried -- to no avail. The scissors were just not sharp enough, or I was just not strong enough. It was back to cutting them one at a time. And as I did, I thought: one at a time; one day at a time; one step at a time. That works! One at a time works! When I try to do more than that, my energy is sapped. A graced lesson from the flowers.
I knew enough to cut the stems before putting them in water, and so I started, one stem at a time. But, hey! how about doing all of them at once?! And so I tried -- to no avail. The scissors were just not sharp enough, or I was just not strong enough. It was back to cutting them one at a time. And as I did, I thought: one at a time; one day at a time; one step at a time. That works! One at a time works! When I try to do more than that, my energy is sapped. A graced lesson from the flowers.
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Two Weeks and Counting!
In exactly two weeks, my sister CJ, niece Jean and I will be heading to Spain to begin our pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. We'll arrive in Madrid on the 30th and then head to Sarria on May 2nd to begin our walk. Whew! This feels like just another example of how "time flies" in my life. And before we know it, we'll be back home. But what difference will this pilgrimage make in our lives?
There's a song I heard recently by Carmel Boyle called My Soul's Desire. After asking many questions of the listener:
What is your desire?
What is your longing?...
And what's your soul's desire?
the refrain begins with:
My soul's desire
Is to see the face of God.
My soul's desire
Is to walk the sacred path.
To see the face of God and to walk the sacred path. That is my soul's desire.
There's a song I heard recently by Carmel Boyle called My Soul's Desire. After asking many questions of the listener:
What is your desire?
What is your longing?...
And what's your soul's desire?
the refrain begins with:
My soul's desire
Is to see the face of God.
My soul's desire
Is to walk the sacred path.
To see the face of God and to walk the sacred path. That is my soul's desire.
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