A few days ago I came upon a woman walking with a man, most likely her partner and a younger man, perhaps a son.
The”husband” was sort of Italian grumpy, the “son” not so grumpy but reticent. The woman was vibrant and wide open. She and I exchanged just a glance. We shared a mutual look of exhaustion after a hard climb on the path as we all arrived at a rest spot. When she left the picnic area I was still sitting and she waved goodbye. I returned the wave with a smile.
I felt such a strong connection to her. I had seen her early in the day on the trail and had felt the connection then as well as we nodded in passing, offering each other the traditional peregrino greeting, “Buen Camino”.
Today, two days since the first encounter, I was walking back from the lighthouse in Fisterre and she and hubby and son were walking in the opposite direction towards the lighthouse. She saw me on the sidewalk maybe 60 feet away and flung her arms out wide, I did the same.
When we met we hugged. She said in her Italian spiced voice “I am so glad to see you.” There were tears shared but we were beaming. Then we said goodbye and I went on to town and she and her men went on to the lighthouse.
These are the moments for which life is made – no reason, no future, no plan- just is.