A Donde Vas? Where are you going?

One of the most common questions people ask on the Camino is, "where are you going?" The first time someone asked me the question I thought, "Duh! It is called the Camino de Santiago. I am going to Santiago of course. " Most of the people I have met are not as fortunate as me and they are only walking a section of the Camino with the time they have available. Americans make up a very small percentage of the people on the Camino. Many Europeans take their vacation time to walk and are only able to do a small section at a time.

I walked alongside a mother and daughter team from Spain, Merced and Judith, for a while today. They thought it would be a great way to spend some quality time together. They will walk for ten days and go as far as that takes them until the next time they can start again.

Today I also passed by the grave of Shingo Yamashita who died in that spot on the Camino in August of 2002. He was 64 years old. It was an unexpected and somber reminder that not everybody makes it to Santiago. Usually it is foot problems or ankle problems or problems at home that take people off the trail, but there are always situations beyond our control that force us to change our plans. It is a wise person who realizes when it is time to adapt.

My change of plans was very simple The people with whom I had been walking with for the last two days didn't think they could make it to the town of Larrasoana so we stopped short in the town of Zubiri. My goal was to get closer to the town of Pamplona so that I could have lunch there tomorrow. After meeting Shingo, I think my change was pretty minor.

While we were in Roncesvalles, I had the opportunity to concelebrate the Pilgrim's Mass with the priests who care for the pilgrims. At the end of Mass the pastor asked all of the pilgrims to come forward and he blessed us in several languages. Then we all sang the Salve Regina together.

"God you called your servant Abraham from Ur in Chaldea, watching over him in all his wanderings, and guided the Hebrew people as they crossed the desert. Guard these your children who, for love of your Name, make a pilgrimage to Compostela. Be their companion on the way, their guide at the crossroads, their strength in weariness, their defense in dangers, their shelter on the path, their shade in the heat, their light in the darkness, their comfort in discouragement, and the firmness of their intentions: that through your guidance they may arrive safely at the end of their journey and, enriched with grace and virtue, may return to their homes filled with salutary and lasting joy."

The metaphor of the Camino is very powerful. Everyone is on a journey, but they all have different starting and stopping points. It is not helpful to judge someone else's journey nor it is really our place to do so. We do get the opportunity to walk with many people on their journey and we can allow others to accompany us, but it is always a choice.