Today was my second day walking backwards on the Fisterre Way of the Camino de Santiago. I am returning to Santiago de Compostela where I began this trek. As I walked today I passed a few people walking to Fisterre but not one person walking the same direction that I was, the same was true yesterday. This is truly walking alone because there are no opportunities to pace up with others and walk with them for even short periods of time. I am OK with this,it is sort of introvert heaven.
I got lost today and walked in a complete circle adding kilometers onto my already aching knees. Then I lost the section of my guide book that I needed for today’s walk and then my Camino App had a little nervous breakdown – must of been the circle that did it in.
I was alone, without tools, in a place I had not been before because I had wandered off the route. I did something I have never done in my life; I used the sun as my guide. I knew what direction I was headed in and I basically knew where the sun was at that time of day so I kept walking and I found the path once more and made it to my destination.
The whole experience made me think about how Grace shows up in our daily life. Grace was definitely on the path with me today. Grace needs you to have faith but it does not need you to make faith happen. In fact it is Grace which provides the required faith.
Faith is something the Camino teaches you, by Grace. Its lessons show up in the form of a fellow peregrino walking towards you, therefore showing you the way, when you are walking backwards and totally lost, or in the friendly face of a Spanish villager who points and says, “si, si a Santiago” when you are not sure if the way is left or right.
Grace even tears your map book from your hand and moves you on without noticing so you can experience the sun as your guide.