Villamayor de Monjardín

Today was a different sort of day. It was 43 degrees when I set out and didn't warm up much all day. The road was mercifully flat but mercilessly hard, compacted dirt, which posed its own challenges to my knees. But I set out to make today about thanksgiving.

I'm so thankful for the beauty and peace of this landscape I get to traverse. I'm grateful for the years of singing in church choirs that bring songs of thanksgiving and praise to my heart and lips so readily. I'm thankful for this physical challenge which helps me appreciate the way God created me.

The first 12 miles of today's journey passed in almost complete solitude without passing through a single town. There were just enough of us spread along the road that I never worried I'd lost the trail, but there was plenty of time to think and reflect. That was really nice. I was surprised, though, at the beating my knees took on the hard road.

The first town any of us came to was Los Arcos. I was so grateful to pass a Farmacia, a cross between a CVS and an Immediate Care. The amazing woman there, who spoke not one word of English, found me the perfect knee supports and coached me on how to put them on, indicating that if they make you cry, they're too tight. We had a good laugh about that.

As I continued into the quiet town I started to smell coffee and then heard the laughter and chatter. All us pilgrims gathered in a square outside a bar, greeting one another and pulling up chairs as we ate a bite and talked about our days. There's such a sense of community here, making plans for the next town together and treating one another's aches and pains. It's really something special.

Now I'm off to explore the Iglesia de Santo Sepulcro and spend some time in thanksgiving before I head to another lively Pilgrims' meal. I can't thank you all enough for the gift of this time and this experience, and for sharing it with me.

Sitting in Iglesia de Santo Sepulcro this evening I was struck by how many have come here since the 12th century seeking solace, strength, hope, peace. I ran my hands over the stones of the tiny octagonal structure and imagined all those who'd done so before me - and added my prayers to theirs.

Steps: 32, 024
Distance: 13.56 milesRead more