I’m getting dressed this morning to go to Sunday school and I went to get one of the two tee-shirts I bought in Santiago as a souvenir of my pilgrimage.
I chose these shirts because they aren’t your typical touristy shirts. You know, the kind of shirt that says “I walked 790 km” and has a road sign on it. Plus I really wanted something to wear that wasn’t the blue shirt or the orange shirt.
Back to this morning…I couldn’t wear these shirts. I’m going someplace where people know I walked the Camino and even these shirts seem to scream “tourist” not “pilgrim”. I put on my necklace that I bought at the 100 km mark
and even that I have carefully tucked beneath a scarf.
This feeling seems connected to the fact that all week people have been asking me, “How was your trip?” And I don’t know how to answer. For one thing I feel like I’m still on this pilgrimage. For another the essence of the Camino, for me, cannot be distilled into a 140 character response and to say “the food was great” or “the country is beautiful” seems to reduce the Camino to little more than a “vacation”.
So what should be an easy task (getting dressed) has become for me a small light into a spiritual question.
What did I end up wearing?
It’s orange shirt day.
One day I decided to go for a walk... 
How is it with your soul?
In some ways my soul feels quietly settled and in other ways it feels bombarded by the world. I spent 20 min in the grocery looking for a jar of olives only to discover the store had moved their location. That was a challenge to any calm feelings I started out with.
Michelle,
Your necklace is beautiful. Many people will ask “How was your trip?” But how many of those really want to know? How many will realize this is not a quickie answer?
You experienced something few people will ever experience. You get to determine whether this is something you hold close to your heart and who you truly want to share it with.
I am so proud of you for having a dream/ desire and pursuing it. Continue to let your light shine
I also think picking only your necklace is special and meaningful to you. The whole walk was about you and not about the usual things people want to know or hear about. You still need time to overthink and relive everything. You were good and strong to finish the whole pilgrimage.
As two people who have never met I feel a kinship with you. Thank you
You are welcome, I feel the same.