Where the hell have you been? What the hell have you been doin'? I
know, right???!!! I've been sittin' here shaking my head with all that
has been happening in the US and all that has been happening in the
world. And so, to maintain my sanity I've been off to other places
trying not to think much at all. I've been takin' a Portuguese A1-A2
class for the second time even tho I have the A2 certificate needed to
apply for citizenship. But am still wonky (or wonkedy as we say in
Pittsburgh) and felt a refresher would be a good option before moving on
to a higher language level. Gym classes with a trainer to try to ward
off the inevitable, book club to try to keep my mind active and loads of
eating out have been keeping me company in these times of wonder and
worry.
But, today I've been hankering back to last September. Late September an old friend from Pittsburgh and I headed north from Portugal to Santiago de Compostela. We walked from Tui. How we got here/there is a miracle in and of itself. Both of us have been christened in the Catholic Church more than 70 years ago, but neither of us is a practicing Catholic. I guess by now we have been ex-communicated. Nonetheless, we embarked on this spiritual quest. Perhaps we were looking for a salve to soothe our bruised souls to help us move gently into the next phase of life or maybe just another adventure or sparkle in a full life. But, for sure, this was a next step in each of our stories.
As I sit here all these months later pondering the escapade, I have heart-warming feelings of that time and of that adventure. You see I was just a couple months shy of my 73rd birthday and my friend, Linda, had already reached 77. I know, right???!!! (What in the hell are these old chicks thinking - hahahaha.) We took a moment in 2024 to renew/deepen our friendship after living on different continents since forever and to follow the path of the many pilgrims before us, who were full of hope, positivity and moral energy, to join in a like-minded community celebrating love and kinship.
We walked together and apart at the same time if that makes any sense. Always carrying our past with us as an unspoken, unseen entity. We met a myriad of people from other lives, moments, and places. We connected with them in a flash and, then, just as quickly they were gone. But, ironically they touched a part of us, of me, and will live within me for the rest of my days. Often we called them by city or country (Hey, Brooklyn!, Belgium!, Holland!, Jesse from Germany!, 2 women from Norway!), and others by name (Dan from Ireland, Paul an older guy, Sue and her brother Mark - and Mark's wife (we never really met Mark's wife as she was a fast walker and was always way ahead), Richard from England who lives in Canada, and Teresa the older woman who was walking alone). We and they came and went, but we touched each other however lightly and by the same stroke profoundly.
We shared an experience, Linda and I, and - a short, intimate, emotional connection - with complete strangers that we will never see again.
What a joy it is to hold what happened in that brief time as precious memories to be recalled when needed and act as an elixir when the world seems dim . . .
