The blessings and challenges are all mixed together today, as I guess they usually are in life. “The shadow proves the sunshine”, to borrow some wisdom from some band or other!
This first piece was written early this morning.
A few thoughts as I sit in the bar on my second cup of cafe con leche, just taking in the view and my surroundings.
There’s someone out watering their garden, the growing season must be short up here. A woman has just hung out her washing in her dressing gown. The sky is bluer than blue, pierced by jet trails, reminding me that the world is small and very busy. A small child has wandered out of his house in his nighttime onesie. There’s a couple of old men leaning on a fence, chewing the fat. A line of sheep are making their way along half way up the mountainside, one of the few times I’ve wished for a decent camera, can’t capture that on my phone.
It’s a beautiful mountain morning and instead of stressing on how I’m getting back to my destination of tonight, I have decided to take it as a Sabbath, it is Sunday after all. I will try not to stress, not to rush down the mountain, to walk slowly, reflect and enjoy! So the phone’s going off now, except for photos. I’ll update this later.
I was anxious last night. I spent a good number of hours in an almost empty bar with noone who could speak English. Was this a stupid idea, to get myself here to the middle of no where?How would I get back tomorrow? I knew the bus wouldn’t be going back past my drop off point of yesterday until about 6.15pm. I also knew it would only take me 2-3 hours to walk down. And, as I found out when I was dropped off, there really was nothing there at Urdon. Would I even be sure that the bus would see me and know I wanted to be picked up? It was looking like it would be a very long day. If I could only get myself to the end of the bus route, a small town called Potes. There would be stuff to do and see there, eating places, and I could be sure of being picked up by the bus at the bus stop.
I had expected there to be more walkers around, maybe even others staying the night to walk down with in the morning. Perhaps someone to give me a lift somewhere. There were a number of day walkers yesterday but they all left, the last one not until after 8 pm. He must have been in the dark before he got to the bottom. That is not a track to walk down in the dark!
I did my best to discuss my options with the bar staff without any language. I knew more about the bus timetable then they did. I wanted to ask if there was anyone in the village going anywhere by car tomorrow but I don’t think they got that, and that road came out somewhere completely different.
So I went to bed feeling rather anxious, wondering what the next day would bring. That brings me to my morning thoughts, as above. An acceptance of a slow paced day and to see what would happen.
I’m not really very good at going slowly, at stopping on the way. I’m pretty destination focused. That’s not always a good thing. But today was about trying to take my time going down the mountain. I took a lot of photos, but I also sat for quite a long time at one spot. This spot.
Initially, it was to have a wee rest and tighten my shoelaces before the descent got really steep.
But then, while I was sitting there… Wow!
Those large birds of prey I could see circling high above yesterday, were now a whole lot closer, above and below, a couple of times so close I could hear the wind over their wings. And they were not flapping, just gliding.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31 NLT
I believe that they are griffon vultures. I sat there a long time and while I was there my second wow moment of the morning. I got talking about the birds with the first couple of walkers up the mountain that morning. The man spoke great English and he offered me a ride back to San Vicente de la Barquera after they had come down from the mountain! I didn’t even ask!
So after a while, I walked on down, a lot more relaxed. It was not an easy walk. Very steep, hard on the knees, with very loose rubble, and I was pleased to be going slowly and to have my poles. Once I got to the bottom I sat some more. I actually saw the bus going back towards San Vicente at about 2.30, a time that didn’t line up with any timetable I had. Who knows if there even would have been a bus at the later time!
This is the friendly couple who gave me a ride back. Their names were… John and Viviena. I don’t believe in coincidences but I do believe that God has a wonderful sense of humour!!
I had a few tears on the drive back. I made it harder work for myself but I did it (with some help from above, but then, God’s been with my every step, anyway). I’m just a very ordinary, middle aged woman. I’m not intrepid. I’m not even that adventurous. But there is more in me than I thought. You know, there’s more in you, too.
Tomorrow I’m back to the Camino. It will be another new set of pilgrims to get to know. I think I’m ready for a bit of community.
There's more in you! 