We Made It!

We started out walking in the dark this morning- we woke so early, too excited to sleep with the anticipation of this being our last day and being so close to our destination. And there was no rain….yet! Our boots were woefully soggy- squishy, wet boots need time to dry- but it didn’t matter today. Even my backpack seemed lighter…until the rain came down in sheets again. Dreary, damp, demoralizing, drippy deluge- so many « D » words- the weather on this trip has earned a grade of D! But never mind- here we go! We passed the imposing Sanctuary of A Escravitude and took what is one of my favorite pictures/ Rick and me and a cruceiro in shadow on the façade of the church- it seems a fair representation of how we must have looked during much of this journey with our ponchos on and faces covered to avoid the rain- just 2 shadows following an ancient pilgrimage- this picture speaks to me! We were inspired by so many pilgrims along the way and one who will remain in my heart was an 85 year old man named Walker ( his real name!) from North Carolina. How could I complain when others are also doing their best in these conditions? Along our travels we passed countless cruceiro on the streets and hills, all reminders of Christ’s sacrifice. Today we passed one of the oldest in Galacia (14th century) carved in a Gothic style, very solid and somber. There were moments of sun today and we were treated to God’s glory with a double rainbow- such a delight to see! We took a quick break for coffee and a pain au chocolat and kept going. At the end of the day we had hiked 16.5 miles but the miracle and joy of it the day was: We Made It! This spiritual pilgrimage we’ve been on with the breathtaking views, cultural heritage sites and weather events had finally deposited us onto our destination- the Praza do Obradoiro and the majestic Cathedral de Santiago, a UNESCO World Heritage site and destination for pilgrims for almost a thousand years. Entering the town we walked along the streets and felt anticipation and also some anxiety- would it be worth the trials we’ve been through this last two weeks? Other pilgrims hurried along beside us through the narrow cobblestone streets and we barely looked at the vendors and restaurants that line them as we rushed forwards! The rain had let up a bit as we entered the square and saw the cathedral- awe inspiring! People were snapping pictures all around us and hugging and smiling- there was a buzz of different languages filling the air and the sense I received from these murmurings was one of incredible joy. Personally I also felt a sense of relief to have made it and pride and gratitude that my body kept pushing. I felt the support of my beloved family and my friends who I prayed for as I walked and who I know had me in their prayers. We snapped a few pictures then made our way to the pilgrims office to present our stamped credentials (proof that we had walked the entire way) and receive our final stamp and a certificate with our names written in Latin. I also had them add my mother’s name and it just makes me so happy to have her name there with mine. We made our way back to the Cathedral and arrived early enough to visit the crypt and tomb of Saint James and we did the « Embrace of the Apostle » before settling down into the pews for the pilgrims Mass. A day I will remember forever and a final feeling of peace, calm and contentment mixed in with some sore and achy muscles :) 🩷✝️🌈🙏🏻🤩🥾🩷 Czytaj więcej