The hard things

There are the hard things you do because you choose to do them.

And there are the hard things you do because you have no choice.

You know what I mean. I know you do. You’ve lived this, as have I.

In a few days I will embark on a hard thing of my own choosing when I leave to solo-walk my third Camino in the almost three years since those hard things happened about which I had no choice.

This trek across northern Spain—the Norte to the Primitivo to Santiago de Compostela (where all the official Caminos terminate in front of a massive Cathedral that might make an atheist think twice)—will be physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically (and all other adverbs) demanding. By demanding I mean this: It will demand from me more than I think I have.

I don’t mean just physical strength and endurance. There is that. But actually that’s the easy part. I mean the challenge of living both disconnected and deeply connected. The challenge of living a time outside of time. The challenge of being alone with yourself, with your own thoughts. The challenge of inhabiting the moment. The challenge of remaining open to surprise. The challenge of working that resilience muscle hard, every day, because you don’t know when you will need it until you need it and then, boy, do you ever need it.

The challenge of—oh yes, I am going to say it—going with the flow.

 I will take you along with me, if you like, by posting here images and a sentence or two at the end of each day. Many of you followed my previous two Caminos. Your comments truly heartened (and strengthened) me. I’m counting on you! This will be my last essay for a month or so.

¡Adelante!