Early this afternoon I walked through old fortress gates into the Basque village of St. Jean Pied de Port thus completing my walk of the Chemin St. Jacques from Le Puy. Combined with my walk of the Camino de Santiago in 2008 I’ve know covered around 1,000 miles of medieval pilgrimage route across France and Spain to the city of Santiago de Compostella.
As with most all long distance walks, for me, the finish is bittersweet. In some regards I’m happy to be done as the goal has been reached and I’m usually a bit tired but ironically I generally don’t feel much of a hurrah celebratory sense of accomplishment or anything like that. I’m mostly just happy and grateful to have had the experience. The real joy comes out of the journey and not the destination. The destination is an end and a completion while the journey holds ones attention by regularly revealing something new. The days and miles of physical activity, breathing fresh air, and thinking about everything and nothing are what I like the most. The beautiful landscapes, mountains, and villages enhance the experience which makes it all the more special.
Tonight I’ll stay in St Jean Pied de Port but tomorrow morning I’ll hop on a train and head to Lourdes for a couple of nights. I’ve long been intrigued by the healing phenomenon and miraculous cures brought on by multiple appearances of the Virgin Mary in a grotto during the year of 1858. It seems appropriate going to Lourdes since I’m so close and have been walking along an ancient Pilgrimage route for the past month. I’ll now join the masses of a different kind of modern day Pilgrim as people today travel to Lourdes from all over the world to be healed.
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