The Camino de Santiago, or “the Way of St. James” is a network of European pilgrimages which converges along the northwestern coast of Spain. It offers profound lessons about navigating the unknown aspects of one’s life journey. I have several friends who have done the walk and say it has been life-changing for them.
As I reflect on those dear friends and family losing everything in these wildfires, I wonder about the path they will find themselves taking into their next unknown. Experiencing loss in these fires and walking the Camino both offer profound life lessons though they come from vastly different circumstances.
Every day I am learning of another friend or relative of a friend who has lost their home. What can it be to lose everything, your belongings, and all the experiences and memories in your place called home. It is painful to imagine, and we can’t imagine this if we have not been affected in that way. But we do empathize and feel the pain for our fellow Angelenos’.
There is clearly an outpouring of help from all over the region and the country and that is heartening. There are interesting contrasts and comparisons when you think about the Camino and the fires. I am so grateful for my family and friends who have survived but many have not. The unknowns are terrifying. Here are my thoughts on this for now.
Embracing Impermanence
Camino – the journey teaches to embrace uncertainty and adapt to change daily. It mirrors life’s unpredictability.
Fire Loss – Fires loss has one confronting the impermanent nature of material possessions and teaches the importance of adaptability in the face of sudden change.
Letting go
Camino – Pilgrims walking the path learn to carry only what is essential physically and emotionally.
Fire Loss – Losing possessions in a fire may compel one to reassess what is enormously important and lead to reevaluation of priorities in non-material aspects of life.
Community and Connection
Camino – Walking the path shows us the power of connection, forming deep bonds with fellow travelers.
Fire Loss – Communities come together in the aftermath, as we see this across our region right now, demonstrating the strength of human compassion and support in exceedingly tough times.
New Beginnings
Camino – Many pilgrims experience personal growth and self-discovery, seeing the journey as a catalyst for positive change.
Fire Loss – While traumatic, losing all possessions in a fire could serve as a turning point, prompting some people to reassess life and embark on entirely new paths.
Those that know me might not be surprised to hear my favorite poet is David Whyte. He is an author, poet, and philosopher. He writes about Santiago and the intimate conversation we have with ourselves when on that walk. There is an illusion that everything we desire in our lives will happen just as we imagine it or whatever we desire in our world will happen with our strong intentions. It does not work that way as we are seeing in these horrific losses here and in other parts of the world.
How do you go forward? What is the conversation you need to have with yourself and each other? This is a new place for many of us.
David Whyte’s poem, Finisterre by David Whyte - Famous poems, famous poets. - All Poetry speaks to themes of endings, new beginnings, and the acceptance of change. The imagery he uses is of a road leading into the ocean and the rising moon symbolizing a transition from one chapter of your life to another. We are forced, as David suggests, to abandon the familiar to forge a new path.
At some time in our life, we walk in the unknown to go forward. I think about those that have lost everything in the fire, their home, their belongings, memories of their home place and more. Let’s be there for those we care about and our community as they embark on this new road for it is now going to be a road in which they are unfamiliar and most likely have never gone before. And blaming our politicians, government or county leadership is mean, unkind, and not helpful at this time.
There will be a time to evaluate that, but it is not at this moment. Understanding how to support each other and be in the community we all value is what we yearn for now.
There will be a new way to move forward, bags might be empty for now as we leave behind what we knew yet moving ahead is the only safe and hopeful way.
Sending hugs and be well.
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