Day 31: A beautiful walk, an easy day; the beginning of the end

We awoke, packed, pinned the laundry that didn't dry to our packs, and went down to enjoy our breakfast (inclusivo--included in the price) of coffee and toast. It was not raining! We hitched up, rain gear on since we were headed up into the clouds, and set off at a leisurely 8:15.
The walk out of town was a bit confusing, but following the normal rules of Camino, the way up was the way out. It was so steep a couple of bicyclist (about 1/4 of peregrinos we see are on bicycles) we shared confusion with had to walk their bikes (and they were young!). As we walked, we remembered the Basque hills and all the problems we had. We both agreed that now, in our 5th week of walking, we were finally ready for the Basque hills. We climbed and climbed up the steep road. The clouds seemed to break a bit and we actually saw sunshine and a bit of blue sky! That brought forth a huffing and puffing version of the Gloria. In the Basque country we were walking west over a mountain, down into a river valley, and up the other side. Here we are walking south west. Our path takes us up the side of a valley, then down its length. Once we are up we have gorgeous views across the valley.  All that we have come to love is before us: cattle, donkeys, horses, goats, and sheep (alas, the bell symphonies are gone), old farms with lovely ancient stone walls and slate roofs, birds chirping, flowers filling the air with their delicate scents and filling the eye with their loveliness, even the dogs (every farm has a big dog lounging around) with their "I'll tear you to bits if I can just break this chain" blood howls. This is simply a wonderful walk on a peaceful morning.
I told Pete at lunch that this pilgrimage was often bigger than my dreams of pilgrimage. In so many ways, as we near the end of the journey (a mere 140K) I have been blessed because all my dreams have been fulfilled and more. The physical challenge has been beyond both my preparation and my imagination. The difficulty and yes even the pain have driven me to my emotional and spiritual limits. Yet especially there on those edges, blessing has come--cool water from fountains, directions from a stranger, a shout of 'buen camino' from a passerby, a thought of my wife and children, a deeply heartfelt prayer from home, a knee bound up with a brace from the Farmicia able to walk one more step. Those very blessings that came when I had little else in the way of inner resources revealed to me a world not of my own extra ordinary inner, do it on your own, strengths, but instead a world in which I am deeply connected to others with whom I must now share as generously and freely as they shared with me. This time of prayer and walking in Spain is drawing to a close, but as one of the blessing of leaving that my home congregation invoked for me says, 'Blessed are you peregrino when you come home to realize the Camino has just begun'. Blessed indeed. . .Buen Camino.

I had the privilege of sharing prayer today with Will S and Virginia D.  May our hopes find fulfillment.