Where did the path go?
Where did the path go?
In twelve days I will be sitting on a plane heading towards France and the thousand mile long pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. I will be doing the first leg, a short leg, in the city of Paris before taking the train to Le Puy en Velay where the process will begin in earnest. At this time, with less than two weeks to go, I find that all of my “stuff” is ready for the most part. But that is just “stuff,” the easy part to get ready. There really isn’t too much to ponder when it comes to socks, pants and tops and other long-hike essentials. The hard part is being ready psychologically and spiritually.
How does one leave a home and one’s soulmate for such an extended period of time? I find myself treasuring each moment with my wife, my house, my garden and the small things that make a life at home. For the most part, I have given up thinking of past and future and have been living in the moment. I guess I am learning how to see the world from a more Buddhist perspective.
But that said, I find myself returning to the computer at times, usually with the excuse of unsubscribing from those groups and businesses that somehow find a way to fill one’s e-mail mailbox. And while on the computer I find myself reading other blog sites of people who have gone before me taking the Le Puy route. And in those moments I am lost in some future following their words and my imagination. I could call it informational preparation, but it is more than that. And in those moments, I am anything but being present in the moment. Rather, I am like this tree stuck out on a point of land surrounded by water wondering where the path of my life has gone, as though I am in some dream searching for some directional marker to lead me back home.
I will be back again before I fly off into another time, place, space and existential moment.
Note: Here is a good look at the GR65 route from Le Puy en Velay to Saint Jacques Pied de Port. And here is the first of many maps that chart the journey. Just a reminder that the GR65 will take me to the start of the Camino Francés at Saint Jacques Pied de Port.
I have just returned from my annual Journey to Canada. It was a year ago in Toronto when I met you, so I thought of you as we walked around town. There, I noticed you shut down the other blog; I appreciate your last post for I was a bit alarmed you shut down everywhere. What a relief !
Urspo
19 Aug 12 at 11:25 AM
Yes, I remember our meeting as if it was just yesterday. I was accompanied by my son and you were accompanied by “Someone” – strange how we both somehow had a chaperon in attendance. As I mentioned here, the idea of a second blog site has proven to be a disaster for me. It felt as if I was abandoning this blog site, and that just wasn’t right. So, here I will stay, even when at times I am here silently. Thanks for caring, good Doctor Urspo.
rgl
19 Aug 12 at 12:46 PM