I’M OFF THEN …

“I’m Off Then” is the name of the book by Hape Kerkeling, a German comedian who walked the camino. It was the book that Jörg burned for kindling for our camping fire in Zion National Park in February 2009. It was also the kindling that started our conversation about the camino. I had it already on my radar to walk in the fall and after our chat, he said he would meet me there to send me off and greet me at the end. A month before I was to start, he decided he would join me on the pilgrimage.

Back then were different times, no iPhone, just a digital camera and a paper journal. This blog will now replace my paper journal. I can’t be sure how many details I will share here. I would like to share everything; what I see, what I hear, what I smell, what I touch, what I taste and most importantly what I feel. It is this last one that will be the biggest challenge. I am sure I will be experiencing a plethora of emotions. I am also sure some will be uncomfortable to share and uncomfortable to read, but I am hoping to share them all as I learn to carry my grief.

Well, it is that time. “All my bags are packed and I am ready to go … “ I will leave you with this song I had learned on the guitar for Joerg back in 2010. He was leaving for the first time from Canada to go back to Germany for a bit as he was only here on a tourist Visa and had to leave every 3 months. Believe me, the video is hilarious and painful at the same time. Feel free to laugh out loud but as they say, “it’s the thought that counts”. I had to edit the video down to a max of 2 minutes (lucky you!) I left the end of the video where you can see where I thought I turned off the camera, but didn’t and Jörg came in to thank me!Read more