St. James Way

18th Hiking Day

On the way from Lauzerte to Moissac. Just before 10 a.m. I go and enjoy the solitude. Why do I want to move to a big city again? And much more important: am I being watched? Perhaps you have to answer the little questions first before you stick to the heels of the big ones. Don't go too fast, go slow. Don't go too far, go just right. Why do I hear the soothing voice in my head of the narrator who spoke Hape Kerkeling in the movie? Well, that's how I have my hiking companion. Very reassuring. And even if I know that these are all just snapshots, I am now satisfied. I go ahead and I am grateful for the moments of calmness in which I am only concerned with myself, the nature around me and with God. But now a nice rain shower à la Camino del Norte, well, that would be something too. These should be times of struggle with myself and the stormy nature as an expression of that.

However, I also liked the fast spinning rat race, if only it drives with the power of what I like. No matter where I am, I notice - and that really should only be a statement - that things are going uphill and downhill again. And between the differences in altitude there are also the times when things go well at the top and at the bottom - but I think almost with a shorter duration - not at all, or that there are times when it is consistently monotonous and dreary. But my mind feels very calm right now. And I would like it to continue like this. Learning a little French in addition. Le soleil et l'ombre. Je part maintenant et je comprit plus des mots jour aprês jour. Je pense, que maintenant je comprit la difference entre »aprês« et »derriere«. Je croix que "derriere" est une description pour une place et "aprês" est un mot pour describer [here »décrire« would have been correct] une distance de temps.

Yesterday, by the way, pizza and a litre of wine with Vincent and Israel. I'll miss them both when we part ways in Moissac. I have no idea why they spend so much time with me. I'm happy about it, it's the exact opposite of the »Marzia way«. Excellent people, these Canadians.

Haven't met a pilgrim for over an hour. That's a good thing about this path. At the beginning a little mess when we leave our gîtes. But then it can happen that you don't see anyone for the whole day. In contrast to March, I don't think that's bad now. Another tricky perspective thing. Everything is in motion. What used to be good and right may feel wrong again today. I can understand that marriages and friendships are not necessarily made to last forever.

A French woman wants to walk the Camino Frances because of the energy lines. If I understood her correctly, she doesn't even know why she wants to do that. There are probably many ways to go the Camino. Even if I am constantly tired, this path gives me peace and time to reflect. I've run the Camino Frances before, but I've never heard of energy lines. It's just wonderful when a cooling wind blows around my face. When you consider that yesterday I found the path boring and desolate, I see a certain comedy when today everything is different again. What can you do about this discontinuity? You have to give things a chance to develop. To the left and right I think I can spot peach trees. Can energy lines also promote the feeling of calmness? It's just strange when - like now (maybe 12 o'clock) - you can see the full sun and only half of the moon up in the sky. Shouldn't the moon also be fully visible to me then? The sun should now be able to fully illuminate him (past the earth).

It's funny how people drive by in their cars on their way to work. And next to them us who make a pilgrimage to Santiago. Two independent worlds share the same space.

On the other hand: I don't think there will be an opportunity to learn French again anytime soon. Now you're out and you've already taken all the precautions. If I were to start a new job now, I would want to stay longer there. But when I listen inside me I just can't imagine that. But I feel that it doesn't do me good to make plans - no matter in which direction - for what will happen afterwards. The wind and the sun are good as they are right now.