Within a matter of a few days, I will be retired once again and be boarding a plane bound for Spain. Upon my arrival I will be following in the footsteps of St. Ignatius as I pray my way from Loyola to Manresa. I have no doubt that God has led me to this place in this precise time. I am embracing the label pilgrim but it has been something I have had to define for myself. Today I am sharing an unedited/unrevised entry from my journal.
As I continue to prepare mentally for the Camino, I am coming to terms with my understanding of a pilgrim and a pilgrimage. This journey is becoming a symbol of my life here on earth. I am a traveler learning and growing as I go through the weeks, months, and years of my life moving ever closer to God and the person I was created to be. There have already been beautiful vistas to enjoy as well as the desolate deserts. But in all of the times of my life, God has been beside me calling me nearer to the path that was created for me. To be a pilgrim is to enter into the unknown, trusting that all will be well. It means being present to your surroundings and learning to see the environment as part of the call forth - "Come and see." This, all of this is for you to experience. It is all laid out for you to either enjoy and be awestruck by or to learn from. Part of the journey is to be present to the place, the people, knowing it is all part of the pilgrimage. I want to take it all in and appreciate this liminal space and time that has been set aside to move through the transition into the next phase of my life. To be a pilgrim is to be open to the unknown of what lies ahead. It is to be courageous as you enter into this new frontier of what God has waiting for you. It is to trust.
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