Tuesday, April 2, 2024
It’s becoming more and more difficult to write anything of substance in this journal. The days are so long and difficult. This morning we got a very late start on the day because we waited for the pharmacy to open. Anahi and Alicia weren’t super happy about that, and they had kind of a moment with Betty, but things got smoothed out later. We are learning how to communicate.
It turned out to be a mistake to wait for the pharmacy, because the lady wouldn’t accept our prescription, and she wasn’t very friendly about it. So we didn’t leave Zubiri until around 11am. The nearest pharmacy to Zubiri is in Villava, which is basically in Pamplona. So we knew we had to get all the way here.
Things were made doubly hard because we didn’t take any food for us on the way, and all of the restaurants were closed. So we walked nearly the entire 15 miles with nothing but a breakfast pastry in our bellies. It was really tough, but the kids did a great job with it. The biggest blessing we had was finding a guy named Jon who was selling food along the Camino. I gave him 10 euros and he gave us some mandarin oranges, a banana, an apple, and some peanuts. It was enough to keep us going and a huge tender mercy. He was kind of odd and showed us some strange videos of him dancing on TikTok. He was really proud to have almost 500 followers :)
River has been a pill and decided that she simply does not want to walk. So I’ve been carrying her on my shoulders nearly the entire time over the past three days. It also doesn’t help that we feel like we want to move a faster pace than she is able. So rather than fight her, I’ve just decided to carry her. I have had some moments of real agony, but I’m also learning how to just keep going when I’m so exhausted.
Today we walked 24km, 15 miles, in 8 hours. We got to the albergue at 7pm which is super late for pilgrims. Then I made a huge salad for everyone, and we ate dinner, took showers, and threw in some laundry. Now it’s 11pm, and I’m exhausted.
Today was hard, but it was also awesome. I especially loved a conversation that Betty and I had about her hike today. We keep getting passed by these Spaniards wearing fast packs. They are all adults, and they look like they are having the time of their lives. Their packs are light, and everything looks easy for them. Betty said that at times today it made her envious to see them. She was thinking “Here I am doing this super hard spiritual journey, and they look like they are having the time of their lives. Why can’t my journey be more like theirs?” Our conversation moved towards the purpose of life, and I think we both learned something valuable. The thing is, the purpose of life is not to relax or have fun or even just be “happy.” The purpose of life is to grow to become more like God. And growth requires effort and discomfort. I have read a lot about the Camino and pilgrimage in general, and it seems to me that true pilgrimage should be difficult. It should cost us something.
It reminds of the contrasting Youtube videos I showed in my class last semester. In one, a couple arrives in Santiago after walking the Camino, and it’s all anticlimactic for them. They feel a bit hollow. In the other, a young woman arrives in Santiago in tears. The experience is transcendent. Then I showed my students the rest of their videos. When the Camino got too hard for the first couple, they hopped on a bus to Madrid and partied for a few days, then went back to the Camino but after skipping the toughest parts. In the second video the girl really put her soul into the Camino. It was very tough for her, and on a number of occasions she had considered backing out. There are a hundred different ways of doing the Camino, but I think for it to have the most powerful impact on people -- it should cost something. And perhaps the higher the price paid, the greater the reward. I hope that’s the case for us, because we are paying a high price.
Distance hiked: 15 miles / 24km
Total distance on the Camino 38 miles / 60 km
