Day 15: Logrono - Navarette (4/15/14)

Sad to say, another horrible day 

of pain and tiredness...

my body was definitely feeling the effects of so much change 

in the level of activity it was being forced to do 

on a continuous basis.

Everything hurt.

And I don't do well with physical pain when I'm exhausted.

(Actually, truth be told, I don't do well with physical pain - period.)

Even though it was a lovely town, 

the previous night at the albergue in Logrono had been awful.

Too many people,

too many snorers -

and I was sick of sharing my personal space 

with complete strangers!

All of which led to ...

no, not a plane flight home 

(although that was on the short list!) -

but I settled for another abbreviated day,

a room in a private pension,

 in a bed with sheets!,

having laundry done by someone else,

AND a BATH - 

complete with shaving my legs!

It's the simple things, folks, that can keep you going!

Its also amazing how restorative a 3 hour 'nap' can be!

Just so you know,

I don't relish being the worst version of who I am.

I'd much prefer being perky and happy. 

(Wouldn't we all?)

However, I have far too much money invested in therapy 

and "getting in touch with my feelings"

to be a good dissembler anymore;

I can't pretend to be anyone other than who I am 

at any given moment.

I DO however have the gift of being able to laugh at myself, 

even my pissy self,

and, hopefully I made enough self deprecating, 

insightful and witty remarks about how bad I was feeling 

to make being around me during those bad days tolerable!

When I feel that bad, 

one sure fire remedy is taking myself to church -

which, as I found out, even works internationally!

If for no other reason
than only to marvel at the different interpretations 

of the same subject;

to remind myself that no version is more 'true',

more 'real' than the other...

they're both valid;

its all in how you look at it.

(And yes, I did see the parallel with my thoughts 

about the different versions of myself right away!
Not that I'm the Virgin Mary... 
you know what I mean...
being a 'born again virgin' isn't the same thing at all!)

While I was there, 

the priest who was instructing a school group

called me up to speak to him.

I was sure I'd be reprimanded for wandering around, 

taking pictures while he was talking.

Instead, after asking the usual 

where was I from and how long had I been walking the Camino questions, 

he told the students how important pilgrims were to the world -

how we were 'witnesses' of the faith;

how we were living reminders that being called to follow Christ was not always easy;

it involved hardship and time away from all that was familiar.

He dismissed me as he continued to tell the children that was why they needed to be respectful 

and helpful to all the pilgrims who came to town.

I started crying as I walked away.

How grateful I was for the reminder that this was not about me; 

I hadn't simply decided to take a long walk after I retired.

For whatever host of reasons, 

I felt called to do this pilgrimage and, 

even if I didn't feel as noble as the priests words made pilgrims sound,

this was about something larger ...

and, 

I still had lots of time to continue walking, 

figuring out what that was!