The Burden is Light

The last several days have been quietly epic. Today we have arrived in Arzúa, on our fifth day of backpacking through the Galician countryside. Although we are a large group, our individual rhythms on the Camino have ebbed and flowed. . . sometimes we travel in groups of two or three, and at other times we are alone.

On Friday we hiked the longest stretch of our journey, and I spent most of my time alone. . . for the first time this week. My mind was abuzz with ideas and stresses from home, but after about an hour of walking the thoughts faded away. As I walked alongside an open, grassy field, I was suddenly hit with a joyful sense of freedom. My perspective zoomed out for a moment, and I saw myself, a tiny point of light, in a wide world of open possibilities. It had been a long time since I last felt this levity of heart and spirit. At the outset of the trip, Kerry gave us some ex votos -- or symbolic, prayerful offerings -- to leave along the route at meaningful places, and I set down a tiny white dove on a rock, just as a ray of sunshine broke through the clouds of the misty day.

Free will is such a wonderful gift. Many people of faith attribute sin and evil to our free will, but not enough people dwell on how free will opens the door to true, supreme love and goodness.

The Camino has lightened my burden in other senses. While in Sarria, we all picked up stones, as it was a medieval tradition for pilgrims to pick up a piece of limestone to carry to a city between Melide and Arzúa to be made into cement. The practicality of this tradition no longer exists, but it became a vehicle for finding freedom. As I walked during the four days to Arzúa, I placed all of my guilt and shame I carried on the small rock in my pocket. These emotions had been stirring within me for several reasons, and I moved them from my own self to the rock I carried. Today, as I crossed a bridge leading into Arzúa, I stopped for a while. . . and threw the rock into the river as far and hard as I could. The rock made a surprisingly loud and forceful splash, which confirmed to me that the heavy burdens I carry are indeed being left behind on the Camino.

My backpack may weigh nearly thirty pounds, but it feels lighter and lighter each day. As I was walking through the woods with Kerry yesterday, we saw a young man hiking through the stones and mud with a walking stick. Every so often he turned to the side and hobbled his way down the path, using his stick for support. Even with his visible impediment, he was making the long and difficult journey to Santiago. These days we could make the pilgrimage in a car or on a train. We can get to Santiago virtually, in the blink of an eye. But it is the journey of patience and quiet persistence that eases our burdens and strengthens our spirits. Seeing the young man travel alone was a deep inspiration, and reminded me that we are capable of much more than we think we are. . . if only we let our spirit and selfhood shine through.

Love from Arzúa,
Michael