“Your Caminho is your Caminho.”
Wise words from a fellow hiker I passed on the way to Porto.
Words that I’ve thought of every step of the way.
Words that have helped me create my own Caminho.
There have been times when I didn’t choose to follow the suggested signs.
Instead, I chose to walk along the ocean to feel the water run through my toes.
There have been times when I chose to go for a swim multiple times throughout the day.
There have been times when I walked barefoot just to see what it felt like.
Why did I do all of this?
I did it because “my Caminho is my Caminho.”
Prior to this long hike, I believed that the only way to complete this task was to get from point A to point B (Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela).
I believed that I couldn’t diverge from the signs.
But, with some experience, I gained confidence.
To create my own signs.
To create my own Caminho.
This walk has taught me that it is not about getting to Santiago or receiving the certificate at the end.
It is not about proving anything to anyone including myself.
It has been about becoming aware of what I encounter along the journey.
The journey is the destination.
It has been about sharing quality time with people that I may or may not encounter ever again.
Laughing together. Crying together.
It has been about intentionally or unintentionally not getting a phone plan, so I didn’t miss the beauty due to the daily distractions of email, social media notifications, etc.
It has been about finding my own rhythm in life.
It has been about learning how to be comfortable in being uncomfortable (cold hostel showers, you will be missed 😂)
For all fellow Caminho walkers, whether you’re walking the trails of Portugal or Spain or your neighborhood or countless other places around the world, I say to you, “your Caminho is your Caminho.”
Bom Caminho!!!
