Noticing the Familiar

From A Million Steps by Koontz: "Walking into a clean bathroom was a simple pleasure of life that had been nonexistent since St. Jean... At home and during most of my previous vacations, this was the life I took for granted. Until something is gone, its value seems to diminish with familiarity. Like many things on the Camino, happiness is found in some very simple places."

That, in particular, was not my experience. Every single albergue (think "youth hostel" with bunk beds) offered a spotlessly clean bathroom. I must admit, however, that some of them were a bit difficult to negotiate modestly if someone else were even washing their hands. The place to hang your clothing was outside the shower where the public sinks were. Some of them had an all-in-one private facility: shower, toilet, sink, and hooks to hang your clothes. By the time one person had showered, the entire floor was wet! But still clean. So, I never felt that sense of relief that Koontz did when he stepped into a clean bathroom. In fact, the albergues were well cared-for in each place we stayed. I never had a sense of "roughing" it.

But I did have a similar experience regarding walking. The Tuesday after I returned home, I led a Centering Prayer group. As I walked slowly around the benches in Chapel, before sitting down for 20 minutes of Centering Prayer, I became acutely aware of how good it felt to walk without pain! No blisters! Walking is such a familiar daily "activity" that I often do it without giving it much thought. Taking that time to slow down, I felt the joy of comfortable shoes.

The beauty of the Camino scenery never rivaled my present environs at the Mount. Our House of Prayer is called an "Oasis off Route 22." The trick in every day life is to remember to notice!!!