After the Camino

I will not attempt to explain all of the reasons why I have decided to continue my Camino journey blog nearly six months after I returned from Santiago. A recent meetings with friends who followed my journey and offered great support without hesitation while also asking me to go back and write again has certainly had an impact on my decision. 

 Their support helped me take my first step onto The Camino everyday for 34 days and for that I will always be appreciative . 

I am as surprised as anyone with the number of times people ask me if I will continue to write on my Blog. It does occur more often than anyone would believe . It's equally surprising that there continues to be people reading the Blog everyday. The feedback has now caused me to rethink the idea of continuing to write.

Robin and I recently visited with a great friend who is fighting a personal medical challenge. I was moved beyond explanation when she told me how much she enjoyed reading my posts each day while facing a very difficult daily medical procedure none of us should ever have to endure.

I was thrilled and a little embarrassed when she said that the daily posts helped her greatly as she dealt with treatment and the fear of what she was facing. She enthusiastically told me how much she looked forward to waking in the morning eager to catch up on my journey. I can only hope that whatever I now post can in some small way continue to help her in the fight against this awful disease .

I will soon reach out to her and arrange a long lunch to sit with her and to more personally share with her my Camino. We had very little time on this last visit and I look forward to seeing her soon. 

While she and others have been nice enough to tell me how much they looked forward to reading about my Camino journey, I now realize that for a few my daily writings caused them to see me differently. Unfortunately I have even sensed a degree of discomfort with some when we are in the same company. 

I'm not sure why but I believe that it has to do with the references to my Camino's spiritual experience.

It was never my intention to write anything which could be seen as trying to force or promote my beliefs. I also never intended to make anyone uncomfortable but I'm afraid that has happened. More about that in the future.

My writings have always been focused on having my Grandchildren get a glimpse of who I was, how I think and my beliefs. I'm not trying to recruit anyone or judge anyone who sees the world differently. It was for that reason I kept much of my thoughts to myself. I avoided every person and conversation on The Camino of a political nature because as I said during my journey I was not going to allow any such conversations to in anyway destroy the very positive experience I was having. Believe me if I had decided to allow my political beliefs into the Blog it would have destroyed the purpose of what I was trying to accomplish. 

I will continue to abide by that rule in any additional writings. 

I have now been back for six moths and I have had an opportunity to reflect on my Camino. On occasion I look at the photos taken many of which were not posted and they have helped me to recall many memories which also were not posted. I will be working on going a bit more granular.

Again, the primary goal will be my attempt to leave behind a story written for my Grandchildren which also continues to give me a personal reward. 

My next post ( no schedule ) will be about my return. Until then, thanks for joining me,Jim.