DRIVING THOUGHTS
What is most important to take along for the next stage of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage walk? A rain jacket, water, food, foot anti-blister pads, mobile phone, power bank, roaming Wi-Fi gadget, extra socks, shirt, anti-allergy medicine, ballpen, notebook, pack of chocolates, accident insurance policy, passport, wallet with cash and credit cards?
For six days starting at the end of September, that was the question I, as a Camino pilgrim, had to decide on before starting on each day’s leg from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela, to visit the tomb of St. James the Apostle, in Galicia, Spain.
That was a difficult question. My daily routine in Metro Manila does not include that question. As a “preppie” – someone who embraces disaster preparedness like a way of life – I have a variety of items at the back of my car for any emergency. That includes being prepared for the “Big One” which may require walking 17 kilometers from my office to my residence. In the first year of the pandemic, I had a bag with clothes for three days, shoes, coffee and crackers – just in case a lockdown closed the path from my office to home.
But for six days in the Camino Way, (about 15-20 km a day) each item I took along went into a backpack which I carried through the trail. (There were no porters.) Weight determines a pilgrim’s walking pace, and could cause body aches that would be an obstacle to a good night’s sleep.
I had to hurdle the many questions that worried me. What if it will rain? What if it will be hotter by midday and I will need more water? What if the café-restaurants along the way will be closed for siesta when I get there; shall I bring a sandwich? What if I feel a blister spot develop? What if I have an allergy? What if I will be involved in an accident and would be taken to a hospital; I will need my insurance policy. The urban preppie in me wanted to just be prepared.
But since the weight of my backpack was important to my journey, each day, I took out an item – the rain poncho, pack of emergency medicines, less energy bars, less water, notebook, credit cards, insurance policy. My backpack got lighter, I walked faster, I slept better. Two days later, I switched to a smaller backpack.
That seemingly mundane task – deciding on what to bring in my backpack for the day’s walk also taught me the value of living in the present. Many times I took too much time just thinking of what I will need should something happen in the future.
I realized how much worry is also a factor in the weight of my daily ‘backpack’ of thoughts. On the serious side, worry does not help keep one’s focus on completing a task. On the lighter side, worry eats up the energy for a walk after work. On the commercial side, worry pushes one to buy more things than needed, for the just-in-case situations.
Weeks after I arrived from the pilgrimage, that lesson on what I should take in my backpack has led me to start my day differently. I remind myself to evaluate what’s real or initiated by worry. It’s a skill one needs especially when choosing is not an option if one can afford to take more than what is needed.
Such a luxury has contributed to present problems, one of them waste management. How many times do we open food packages to have a bite and then discard because we did not like the taste? Do we need an umbrella or a rain jacket? We choose both – to stack somewhere at the back of the car, or the foyer. Do we need another pair of shoes? No, but fashion says ‘yes’, we buy another to add to our just-in-case style moment, to be discarded next year.
On the more serious side, I think of the many sad conclusions I get from reading-between-the lines of conversations and gestures. Most of them will turn out imagined, but while I carry the sad feelings, it adds to the weight of my ‘backpack’.
There was more than enough time to think about life and plans at the Camino. Although skeptical friends say you can think about that while walking anywhere, there was something divine hovering in the Camino Frances trail, which is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Camino pilgrimage started in the 9th century and became more popular in the 10th century. Today’s pilgrims follow the same trails leading to Santiago de Compostela.
I first got attracted to walk the Camino because of the forests. I pursued it because of faith. I left it with many lessons that will lighten my load. I found a lot of time to pray and think – and get answers.