Never walking alone...

Thank you God for this new day

Thank you for the feet we have 

     even though they're made of clay

For the friends who give us courage 

     as we walk along the Way

Thank you God for this new day. 

These words came to me as I started my journey out of Rabe de las Calzadas this morning. I felt pretty good. And hoped to make it further than I had the day before. 

The clouds hung low and there was a mist across the horizon. 

And I had made the decision that I was letting go my hiking shoes. I had no need for the extra weight. 

I spent the day walking alone except for this sense of a great company walking with me...and the phrase that kept coming to mind was the great cloud of witnesses who have run the race...now when you walk alone you have all kinds of interesting thoughts. So here goes...

So I thought about those who went before me in life...And said thanks for them...and those who will come after me and asked blessings for them...

I thought about those who had walked this Way before me...dead and living...a year ago, a month ago, a week ago...this morning and said thank you for the inspiration...and those who will walk it after me and asked for blessing from heat, blisters, overstrained muscles, tendinitis...and asked blessings on them...

All this while I was inspired by a group of my friends back home who rode in a bike event yesterday to combat cancer. Several of them rode their first 100 miles, some of them rode with those for moral support even though they had their 100 mile "badge"; other riders did metric centuries, 50+ miles and other distances some rode to get a better time and others were volunteers. But all were there for each other and to stand by others to fight a very ugly disease! (We are surrounded by so great a cloud...) 

The determination of these people helped me set a pace for the day. Even though I was walking alone I knew I wasn't. I was surrounded, encouraged, pushed, and paced as I made my way. Thank you! ;)

When I reached Hontanas there was the smallest of chapels midway down the hill into the village and a water fountain. I needed water so I decided to stop. The chapel was dedicated to St. Bridgitte of Sweden. She had walked the Way with her husband in the 1300s. It took them 3 years. After their return and his death She became a nun and founded an order that was both both feminine and masculine. She was a mystic and was known for her acts of charity. 

Thank you God for this new day

Thank you for the feet we have 

     even they're though made of clay

For the friends who give us courage 

     as we walk along the Way

Thank you God for this new 

   ...and for the next day...

(I saw the big rock on my walk today and thought it looked like a foot so I added toes!)  ;)