Category: Pilgrimage

I’m in my fourth week on the Appalachian Trail. It seems natural for me to compare and contrast the AT and the Camino de Santiago de Frances.

The AT is at the most obvious level a test of self-reliance. Except water, you pack-in everything you need in sufficient quantity to survive. Each step is your own. Each meal, each shelter, each direction you go is yours to decide. The AT is about what you can do by yourself.

What is the greatest joy of a through-hikers? The people. Time and again, kindness defines the experience. Hikers helping hikers. In big ways like sharing food and shelter. In small ways like sharing stories and encouragement. A very fine tradition is attaining a trail name. Everyone wants you to have a trail name. Many test names are tried on for size, time and again, until one fits. You have no choice. Well, one guy got named ‘no choice’ because he was resisting any name given. He smiled ear-to-ear.

Yes, he almost got renamed ear-to-ear.

Who could forget the Trail Magic – pop-up aid stations, free of charge, offering a snack, hot dogs, a listening ear and a good story to tell. I call them Trail Angels because magic is slight of hand. These are real people, rendering palpable aid and genuine comfort for the hiker.

And the Shuttlers. Kind and accommodating people, filled with trail wisdom and AT culture spirit of kindness.

In the end, the AT maintains its self-reliance character and yet discovers our Otherness in, on, around the trail. The AT would be a shell of itself without each of us offering aid and comfort to one another.

The Camino comes with a different approach worthy of your consideration. You go on Camino with nearly nothing. You surrender yourself to what and who is on the path as you travel. Pop-up aid stations, public Albergues designed for pilgrims. And all along the way people cheered Bon Camino.

There too is a certain type of self-reliance: insufficiency. Knowing we cannot do alone we draw strength in and by one another.

In that sense they have the same goal. We discover who we are and our fullest joy in the presence of the Other.

Today, the Monday of the Octave of Easter, we read Saint Peter’s address of Pentecost. The good news of the resurrection and offering this insight to divine love:

You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.

Our gospel portion today reminds us of the fear of the future is not our destiny. Rather, like the woman at the empty tomb:

And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. They approached, embraced his feet, and did him homage. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go tell my brothers to go to Galilee,

Well, brothers and sisters, keep hiking. Keep on your Camino. Do not be afraid. Find yourself in the Others of humanity and in the divine love who is the author of love, the ultimate Other of yourself.

Peace be with you,

Skittles