This will be the last entry for this blog.
We are going home. As I write we are flying towards Mississauga. God willing we will be home this evening.
Too many thoughts run through my mind. I don't want to think of tomorrow. I know that after almost two months away there will be a long list of things to do.
I rather think of the last two months. The excitement of the preparation. The impatience to get started and then the adventure of our lives.
I admired my wife for years but this pilgrimage has given me a whole new view of her. She looked after me like no one could have, and while she can be sweet and loving she is also really tough. I cannot believe I got so lucky getting her as my girlfriend, my lover, my wife.
I have now so many memories that will last forever. On the spiritual side I got closer to our Lord Jesus. The old majestic cathedrals and churches, the priests, monks and nuns that we met. The priests and religious who gave us pilgrim blessings; in the church in Pamplona, in Estella, the Benedictine monks, the Franciscan friars of O'Cebreiro, the Belgium pilgrim priest, the young priest walking with a school group of 15 year olds, the nun in the convent of Santa Teresita, and the last blessing from the Franciscan brother at the church of San Francisco in Santiago de Compostela.
There are memories of magnificent liturgies. We attended some very special services including a vespers in the cathedral of Leon, vespers with Gregorian chants with the Benedictine monks, mass with the Cistercian nuns of Santa Teresita and the liturgies of holy week in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela with the archbishop, a large group of priests, cantors and choir and the amazing pipe organ. I will never forget the Spanish cofradias and their processions.
And then there are all the pilgrims we met and share the experience with. Starting with Luis, the Spaniard from Navarra who walk with us the first day and stay with us because he felt I was not well, and Felipe from Santiago who took over for Luis the next day. We were lucky to see him again in Santiago where he invited a cup of coffee. Hendrik and Sophia from South Africa who were our companions a couple of days, Ian and Marian from England, Karen and Dave from Calgary, Karen and Steve from California. Roberto from Monterrey, Mexico. I have to mention the two Spanish 15 year girls who stop to help when I fell. Then my internet friends I never met in person but shared the experience on Facebook, Marilize and Theresa both from South Africa. And many more.
Then the sites we walked through, mostly I loved the mountains and the peaks (though sometimes I was not sure I liked climbing them). In particular I will never forget come down the Pyrenees through Roland's pass, el alto del Perdon, where the way of the wind crosses the way of the stars and where the monument representing pilgrims through the centuries is. The cross the Ferro, where pilgrims have been depositing pebbles for centuries. The pebbles brought from their homes and representing things from our lives that we want to leave behind. O'Cebreiro with the oldest church in el Camino with incredible views on one side to Castilla and on the other to Galicia.
Then the historical places that we saw. Like walking on a 2000 year old Roman road or crossing Roman bridges or mediaeval bridges like the one Santo Domingo de la Calzada built for pilgrims and the bridge on Puente la Reina. Then there were sites like the castle of the Templar Knights in Ponferrada or the Parador de San Marcos which was the base for the Knights of Santiago and the museums, so many is hard to remember.
As I said somewhere in the blog an incredible journey. Spiritually uplifting, emotionally exciting and physically demanding.
Lord Jesus, thank you for allowing us to complete this pilgrimage. Allow this experience to get us closer to you and to make us better human beings.
Ten piedad de nosotros.
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