Challenges for the journey

One of the challenges for me this time is trying to update my blog posts and try a new blog setting. I am working on this so you may have to bear with me on this. One way or another you will hear from me for this journey if I have to post on two formats for a little while. But please come along for the journey...with every journey there are challenges!

http://trippingintograce.org/2017/05/12/challenges-of-the-journey/

Tulsa Time

Living on Tulsa Time

Being an Oklahoma girl I love Don Williams song "Living On Tulsa Time". 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O6MbPWzIFUk

 I have traveled lots yet I still feel that draw, that connection to Central Standard Time. The only reason I point this out is that since we are in California for just a few days I decided we should stay on cst. Well, sort of...a bit closer to it. 

Which is why we rose a good bit earlier than we might've otherwise. We set out around 6:30 am in search of a Starbucks. It was less than half a mile from the hotel. But on our way we saw a man step out of a little shop with an espresso. He sat at a table on the sidewalk. 

It was an Italian bakery (but of course it was, we were in little Italy). When we went inside we were greeted by the delicious smells of coffee and pastries and delightful young woman named Vickie. She was from Russia. We felt like we had stepped into a little cafe in Europe.  Thank you Pappalecco!

Afterwards I took a walk. Fast paced from the hotel towards the San Diego Bay. Two things on my walk that caught my attention. One was the lone bride dressed in her wedding gown scurrying up the steps of the county courthouse before 8 am. 

I wondered was she late? Was the rest of the wedding party waiting for her inside? Did she drive herself to her own wedding? Was there a groom or perhaps a bride? I kept walking as I pondered. 

The other site was of an old man near the water. I could see the Star of India and other boats to my right 

but on my left on the grounds of County Courthouse was this older gentleman looking up in the sky and then he started clapping. So, I too looked up. And there  were seagulls flying, no more like dancing in the air--soaring high and then diving low. And the price of admission? Well, I must say--it was priceless. 

And the day just got better from there. A visit to Old Town San Diego where the family walked around and then had lunch. Interesting and insightful look at one of the  oldest European settlements in California. And then a most fun and lively visit with my nephew David and his girlfriend Katie. We enjoyed a few pints and good conversation at the Taproom. 

And we ended the day with a lovely dinner at Sorrento's in Little Italy. The food and the company were the best. We laughed and told stories until it seemed we were out of stories and laughter...which of course we aren't but simply all just tired and needing to make room for others who needed our table for the same sort of joy. 

And that's how we spent the 4th Day of Christmas in San Diego 

Traveling Again

Traveling Again

It's been awhile since I posted, but I I feel the urge to write again...to be truthful I feel the urge to travel again. Maybe it's because my daughter Lindsay is getting ready to do a study abroad program in Spain and I miss traveling. I want to travel too. And truth be told I want to write about traveling. As we sit in the airport in Las Vegas on our way to San Diego to see our son William and his girlfriend Lauren I find myself itching to travel...travel anywhere and everywhere...well almost anywhere. And I find myself noticing the most mundane but beautiful things. The scenery flying into Las Vegas is spectacular. 

The mountains are beautiful but I must admit the airport at first, not so much. It's full of slot machines, weary travelers. And then I took a longer look... at first I heard and saw a mother yelling at her children but then finally sitting down on the floor playing games with them. There were lots of neon lights on the slot machines but some of them were on some tennis shoes that were just fun. The airport food  was expectedly overpriced but our server brought us joy as she told a customer how she reminded her son that Christmas was more than just one day. And then we heard "All I Want for Christmas is You" and "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" over the sound system and it made me smile this 3rd day of Christmas in the Las Vegas airport amidst slot machines, weary travelers, and overpriced food. And now we are on our way to San Diego and I will be able to be able to be with Jim and Lindsay on their first visit to California...wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! :)

Remembering To always be grateful

It is with gratitude and love that I write this. I have been home just two weeks but it doesn’t seem possible. I am still on a journey of grace and certainly still learning. ;) And in some ways it all seems surreal. And yet it was all so beautiful and real and yes, difficult also. And my feelings today are of gratitude for so many so I want to simply say thank you!

         Well, maybe not simply…you know me…

Thank you. I felt your prayers and support and presence every day and in every step of my journey, even since I have been home. While I was gone I felt you peering over my shoulders as I saw beautiful vistas. I felt you humming and singing along as I sang songs to get up high mountains or through the heat of the day. I felt you with me during times of loneliness giving me comfort and aid. I even felt you with me as I sat gathering my strength after I had fallen for the first, second, third and fourth times. I felt you with me when I walked into Santiago the first time but even more so the second time. I felt you with me as I sat on the rocks in Muxia watching the sun sink into the ocean. For this I am grateful to you and to God.

Thank you. While I was gone I never worried about things at home. Oh certainly I was concerned about loved ones, family and friends and prayed daily for each of you. But the day-to-day workings of the church I serve and the house I was not worried I knew they were in good care—and I trusted the people left to deal with matters at home and I trusted God. You have no idea how comforting that is. And for this I am grateful to those who helped and to God.

Thank you. I am so grateful for the love and support from all of you for those who helped me to get ready, for the opportunity to get to take this journey, for the reflections that I have shared and the times that I have said I can’t talk about it yet. I look forward to sharing with you my experience. I will continue to post more pictures as well as more thoughts from the way because there is more to share I just haven’t put it all into words yet nor gone through all of my pictures. But I will. But for today I just wanted to say…

I am grateful to be back among you and with you. For this I am grateful to you and to God. 

         Thank you!

Re-post

Yesterday was my last walking day. It was a difficult day. I wanted to walk alone but the night before the hospitalero had pointed out that a man who was very quiet at the table was also going to Santiago, as if to say, you have a walking buddy. What was even funnier was there was only one other person sharing my room and I had assumed it was a woman but lo and behold when bedtime rolled around it was the quiet man. 

The quiet man spoke a little English. More English than I speak Spanish. Though I have improved by default. We figured out when the lights were going out. When he was getting up. Whether the windows were going to be opened or closed. And whether the door was going to be opened or closed. Whew!! Sleep come on!! Like sweetness!! I had walked 30 miles and taken a hard fall! I was exhausted and now trying to communicate in a language I wasn't fluent, barely capable of the basics. I can only imagine how he felt. 

I forgot to set my alarm and overslept. I heard rattling in the other room, people fixing their self-serve breakfast? And my roommate started moving so I put on my glasses and it was 6:30. Oh no. I had meant to be on road by now. Oh well, I guess I needed the sleep and besides I only had 13 miles to walk. And my albergue was on the Santiago side of Negeira. Relax, it will be fine, I told myself. 

I packed my bags. Went to the bathroom. Ate breakfast. Brushed my teeth. And started out the door wishing those left eating breakfast at the albergue a "buen camino". 

It was was a beautiful morning. And I had a song in my heart and on my lips. 

O Lord, with your eyes you have searched me,

And while smiling have called out my name;

My boat's left on the shoreline behind me

Now with you I will seek other seas...

I remember some of the verses but the chorus just kept coming back to me. I sang it quietly, I sang it out loud, I whistled it, I hummed it. I was listening deeply this last day of walking. 

As I got to the top of a hill there were two different and conflicting sets of arrows. One pointed straight which is what I thought but the other pointed left. But the shell marking was left. Dang it here we go again.  So I took the left just a ways just to make sure. I went about a block and figured it was wrong. So I turned around. I saw a guy working and said, "Santiago?" And pointed the way I thought I ought to be going. He just slowly smiled a devilish smile and finally shook his head and said, "si!"  Ugh! I thought. This last day of the Camino IS going to be my most difficult day. Of course it is. So I turned around. And as I reached the corner there was the quiet man. I shrugged my shoulders as if to say, "oops I took the wrong road!" He smiled and followed me on the right one. 

We walked along me in front the quiet man behind. I would stop at a fork in the road get my bearings and then see the correct marking look back at him as if for confirmation and a simple nod from him and on we would go. At one point though we both stopped. It was not obvious. We went up on the road. Down another path. Back and forth. Looked for pilgrim footprints going to Finisterra. And then took a chance. We walked along and introduced ourselves. Me asking in Spanish, "what is you name?" Jose. I am Debora. And we walked together. Often me walking ahead. We stopped several times at coffee bars for water and just to rest. We even stopped for what the Hobbits would call a second breakfast. And then we walked. Sometimes Jose  pointing out that I needed to come back to the way. Occasionally he would do this and I was on the right way and he was mistaken. 

This is how it is in life. We help each other. Strangers become friends. Community is formed as a common purpose is realized. And language is worked through because of that common purpose and community and food are shared. 

As we got to the top of the hill before Santiago we saw this view:

Jose asked for a photo of himself with Santiago.  He had asked for several pictures of himself. I had hoped that there had been others to take pictures of him along the way. Always when he asked for me to take a picture he would ask me, "Debora, do you prefer I take a photo of you with your camera with this scenery?" It was very nice. 

I had reached the hill with the view of Santiago  before he did. And my feet were tired. I was hot. And I was ready to get a shower and rest. I had come so close and could not stop now. Jose declared, "I'm tired!" I think that meant I'm going to rest a bit.

I said, "I must keep going." I showed him we had more than the 1 kilometro he thought to go and wished him a buen Camino. Thanked him. Hugged him. And headed out. 

As I reached the park in Santiago that I recognized tears just poured from my eyes. I had no control. I can't really express the joy, exhaustion, humility, beauty, gratitude, love for so many, community, the memories, and so many other things that I don't have words for. 

I cried all the way to the cathedral. Just stood there for a bit and listened to the bagpipes and other pilgrims; the many languages and watched people. The whole walk in from the park is a climb up and I noticed a lot of people staring at me. But I just smiled through my tears and said hello/hola interchangeably I was so happy, so overwhelmed. 

And then I made my video and headed to the albergue. 

The last three days of walking truly were the most difficult. I am thankful for that. It is in the difficult days of the Camino that I am reminded of what so many people deal with in life. And so much of what I will be faced with when I return home. The peace of life on the Camino will be interrupted by the distractions and temptations of normal life. Just like it was when the signs were not clear and I wandered  a bit seeing more than some pilgrims and perhaps logging more miles and learning lessons. It will be easy to miss the signs and get off of the path if one is not careful. It is easy to lose a sense of community if you choose not to listen and hear or work on language and have a common purpose and goal or just shut yourself off. 

Of course there is more but that is probably enough for now of how I found grace in few difficult days. 

Crap...you are telling me something!

A year ago I was so close to reaching Santiago. These were two of my favorite days. With all the noise in our world...noise of fear, noise of hate, noise of anger...it is difficult to listen for the whispers of nature, of the divine voice in the midst of the day to day...

It is there, though, in the subtlety of a bird's song,  a frog's croak, a leaf turning, a friend's voice...and more. Watch and listen for the divine and act appropriately!!

So yesterday I was walking alone all day. 

It was fine...I quite enjoyed the solitude and the time to reflect. 

At lunch I stopped at a little coffee bar and got some bread and cheese which was enough for three so I packed part of it up and took it for later. 

While I sat I decided to call ahead to see about getting a bed. Since there are so many more people walking the Camino since Sarria (the 100 km boundary spot) so they can receive their "Certificate of Compostela"  it's much more difficult to get a bed. I called seven places. Finally deciding that I obviously was not going to walk as far as I wanted. I tried the town before Ribadiso which was really just a hamlet. And apparently the albergue only had 6 beds. I was sure I was going to be calling another place in another town. 

They answered the phone and I asked, "Hable Englis?" He said, "un pequeyno." Or something like that. So I said, "camas por hoy?" Hoping that I had asked for a bed for today. He asked, "today?" "Si!" And he did. One.  I reserved it. 

When something like that happens you walk with a little joy in your step. Plus you don't feel like you have to hurry quite as much. I was disappointed that I wasn't going to be farther along but relieved I had a bed. It is miserable to walk up to albergue after albergue and have them say completo/full/no room. 

As I made my way along the path and the day got hotter and hotter and I was happier and happier that I was not going farther than Castaneda.

However, I was about 2 kms from my destination when I came around a bend on a wooded path. There on one of the familiar marked stones with the shell and a yellow arrow was a little tiny bird with a bright orange chest. I wish I had a good camera but I thought I could still get a good picture. I stood very still and and got my phone out of my pocket but she jumped down from her perch to the ground and hopped several steps and then flew high in the air. Disappointed I said out loud. Are you trying to tell me something? And with that turned another corner and sure enough there was a small hill to go up. I looked in the air and said "thanks for letting me know that I had this small hill to climb!" And I started climbing. As I reached another bend there was another marker...

...only this time there was a much larger blackbird sitting on it. My first thought was "crap, this can only mean one thing!" And with that the large blackbird jumped down from his perch and hopped on the ground for a few steps then flew high in the air. I thought "you are telling me something!"

And with that I turned the corner and laughed. And said, "crap this hill is five times as big but then that blackbird was at least five times as big as the orange-breasted bird. At least they warned you and you were paying attention!" And I kept laughing as I climbed. 

Looking up about two thirds the way...

Looking down about two thirds the way as it curves on down!!!

I got to the albergue and was met by the most delightful people. The woman fixed me the most amazing dinner. I stayed with three other guests Daryl and Mary from Australia (I'll tell you more about) and Estelle from Madrid, Spain. 

And saw this sunset...a good day

Listening for Grace--"...in a relaxed manner"

Joyce Rupp in her  book Walk in a Relaxed Manner talks of how the pilgrimage of Santiago pulls you to it and energizes you as you walk it and walk beyond. At the beginning of chapter one of her book she quotes Linda Hogan:

Walking, I am listening to a deeper way.
Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me.
Be still, they say. Watch and listen.

Yesterday while visiting with my medical doctor we agreed that there is so much noise, so many opinions, --people talking and shouting; so many people telling you what "they know" but so few people asking questions, spending time in dialogue, listening--or listening well.

As I sit here at my desk working, busy-ing myself, meeting deadlines I am reminded of the path of a pilgrim--listening to nature, listening to one's body, listening for the voices of those from the past who echo God's word...be still and know...

For a moment I got quiet and remembered the path to Santiago---and then with gratitude I realized I'm still on that journey--be still and know...listen...watch...get quiet and still so that you can
listen and watch with your heart.

Buen Camino today as you move through this day. May you and I journey with joy and wonder as we listen and watch...this day.