On My Way Home

 I officially have  began my 3 day journey home. Last week when I arrived in Santiago I wasn't ready to go home, but after walking to the end of the world - Finisterre - watching the sunset and relaxing on the beach for a few days, I am now ready to come home. Walking these last 100 km has brought closure to this journey. When I arrived in Finisterre I felt that it was the end and that I didn't need to walk anymore. In fact, the last 3 days were quite different from the rest of the journey - it was more of a celebration and a time of joy and laughter, rather then moments of reflection, introspection and prayer, which had been so present during my Camino.

In someways ending the journey was almost as hard as starting it. The hardest part about heading home isn't the packing, the traveling, or even the jet-leg, it's saying goodbye. Ironically, 6 weeks ago I was anxious about starting this adventure because I would be alone, and yet last night was the first night I was by myself in an albergue the entire trip. Even there I spent the evening running into familiar faces from the Camino in Santiago, which was nice! 

The "goodbye process" officially started last Wednesday when we arrived in Santiago, as various members of my Camino family started to leave for home. Yesterday, I had to say my last, and by far my hardest, goodbye to Szabi, aka "Mr Compostelle," the person I began this journey with 5 weeks ago, which out here feels like a lifetime, as the concept of time just seems to stop. 

We both knew this goodbye would have to happen at one point, but we were both kind of dreading it. There were not a lot words, as we have had 900 km to say anything and everything to one another. Instead, there was a deep level of appreciation and recognition for what the other (and the many others) had contributed to each others individual journey. It was a beautiful moment that I will treasure forever. 

A good friend once gave me a magnet with a famous quote that talks about the different people that come in and out of our lives. It says that throughout our lives we will encounter different people that will leave footprints in our lives. Sometimes these people will stay for a few moments, while others will stay a lifetime; regardless of the amount of time, people have the ability to leave lasting footprints in our lives. On my Camino I walked with people for a few moments, a few days, and for the entire journey, each of these people have shaped my experience and have left a footprint on my life. 

These people don't just exist on the Camino, they exist in our daily lives! They are our family, our friends, our coworkers, our teammates, our neighbours, or simply the person we briefly smile and say hello to as we happen to cross paths. These people mark our lives and fill our hearts - and today I am filled with a great amount of gratitude for these people. 

I started this journey nearly 6 weeks ago searching for direction in this next season of my life. And as I left my hiking shoes at the entrance of the Cathedral and board the plane, I feel that my heart is full and that it is time to come home! I also left 6 weeks ago with multiple flight delays and today my first flight to Paris was delayed for over 1 hour - hopefully it's the last of the delays because I'm ready to come home!

- Buen Camino