Carried Along - Camino thoughts, part 1: Thankful, again.

As I gathered my things together last night, I gave thanks for another opportunity to walk along part of a Camino route. A church in Charlotte contacted me in April to help them plan a 7-day Camino, and along the way they invited me to join them in journey.

In some ways their invitation in this planning process has carried me along to go on another Camino pilgrimage.

“Carried Along” makes me think of a river that carries along things whether or not they intended the journey. A boat put in by travelers or merchants, yes. A fallen leaf or unsuspecting bug with wet wings, no.

Questions arise:

Where will they go? When will they arrive (how long will the journey take)? Will they know when they arrive?

Sometimes the ones “carried along” think they know the answers or are under an illusion that they control the answers, and other times the things have no idea (if they have a conscious thought).

A Camino pilgrimage offers similar circumstances and questions - pilgrims may or may not have an itinerary, lodging booked, dates planned for arriving in Santiago, etc. Yet we cannot control weather, blisters, other people we encounter…

Instead of the questions when, where, and how, I’m hoping to start each day with a question or two along these lines:

In whom will I encounter (be encountered by) God today?

In what and where will I encounter (be encountered by) God today?

Some of the things I will carry along have no choice (clothes, poles, etc.)… and some things, like people’s prayers, have been given to me to carry for them while I walk.

I’m also aware that there are some things I’m carrying along I do not know about, yet they will reveal themselves if I take time to listen, reflect, pray.

What bitterness, what disappointment, what tiredness have I carried along with me unawares this past year / life?

That said, I look forward to see how I will be carried along by prayers and peoples encouragement.