The sharing of stories
Walking the Camino is entering into a sacred alternate reality where time is measured in hours spent walking, every meal is served with bread, and it is normal to greet every single person you come across, no matter if you’ve already said “Buen Camino” to them 3 or 4 times earlier in the day.
One of my very favorite things about this pilgrimage has been sharing stories with others who have chosen to be nomadic for a season. To share a story is to give a piece of yourself to another, all the while receiving pieces in return. Then, at the end of the exchange (however long it may be- an hour, a day, or multiple days) there is a bond of blendedness that wasn’t there before. I’ve left the Camino having given myself away and gaining so much.
I now hold stories of lightheartedness, which were told in laughter and smiles. I can reminisce of jokes with friends that were once strangers and tales of youth and previous adventures. The exchange left both parties feeling at ease and were often followed by more tales of humor. They made the hours pass by quickly and led to invitations to dinner or shared hostels or warm smiles when reuniting on the trail again. These stories wove us together with golden threads of trust.
I also hold stories of sorrow which were told in seriousness and sometimes hesitation. They are weighty, vulnerable, fragile and strong all at once. Shared stories of heartbreak and hurt, devastation and disappointment – these are the ones that I feel incredibly honored to carry. In my own life I was reminded that although I have weighty stories, they are not heavy. I was able to share of the faithfulness and kindness of God even in the midst of brokenness. To share these stories and to receive others in return felt like a trading of broken china. Sharp and maybe a little dangerous but still beautiful.
In the sharing of stories we, believers and nonbelievers, found vast differences in our backgrounds, upbringings, nationalities, beliefs, and religion. Yet, we became friends anyways. We laughed together and broke bread together and walked 200 miles across a country together. In the end I walked into Santiago de Compostela with a beautiful mix-matched group that consisted of people from 17-60 years old and from 6 different countries. Jesus did that. He bonded us and sustained us, he laughed with us and held the weightiness with us. And he will continue to do so because that’s who he is.
If you want to hear more about my Camino experience or what God is currently doing in my life please send me a Facebook message or email.
All my love and Buen Camino,
Em
