Today's walk started off with 22 km in a ravine and ended at 28 on top of a mountain, so you know there was a lot of climbing in between. I actually really don't mind the uphills; it's the downs that bother me. I had to laugh though because in the last town in the ravine, there were advertisements to go up to O Cebreiro on horseback. Tempting ... but I much preferred the support of my walking poles.
The word "support" was much on my mind today, too, as I thought about Elizabeth (and no, it wasn't because I listened to the entire soundtrack of Elisabeth: Das Musical, though I did, and it majorly helped pass the time, by the way). I know I wouldn't be here today walking in Spain if it hadn't been for her enthusiastic exclamations last November of "Let's walk the camino!" To which I was always compelled to reply with equal exuberance, "Okay!" Despite the nasty Swiss alp that took her out of the running (we should only ski in the Austrian Alps from here on out), she was the impetus for this crazy undertaking. I miss her daily.
And that got me thinking of all the people who have supported and are continuing to do so on a daily basis - family, colleagues, supporters, friends of friends of friends who patiently answered all of questions and who "like" my photos. I don't walk alone, even if there isn't another person in sight. How true that echoes my BFA life as well. People have been praying, giving, encouraging, and helping make that work possible for over five years now. Wow. Once again, my camino is mirroring real life and revealing to me how blessed I am. My new friend Luisa (Brazil) and I were just discussin that fact last night.
So this post is for you, Elizabeth, Mom & Dad Chaucer, and everyone else: THANK YOU for supporting me in absolutely every way. I tried to list many of you by name in my thanks to God during the 6 km hike straight up. Know that I love you all!
Much love right back!
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