Hornets and Moving again

Fun times today with a hornet or two.  Stopping to take sand out of my shoes both Kelly and I were stung by a horent. First Kelly then as I was helping getting an antihistamine and one got me.  I jumped two feet.   Sometimes things just reach out and bite you.  It certianly took my mind off of the blisters on my feet which are much better.  We walked for the last two days, 20 and 21 kilometres which is so satisfying to be back in the waking partnering.  Last night true to form for a Friday night the local community had all night dance party with loud music, 9:00pm to 7:00am.   We had very distrubed sleep.   

But we are walking!  The walking gives us purpose again. The three recovery days were necessary but it was hard to stop our primary purpose.  I wonder if this is the feeling of congregation in  time of transistion.  The primary purpose is paused as the congregation seeks to heal, or seek the path, new or old.  But pausing I the journey requires courage.  Even while I knew that rest days were needed I resisted.  After the fact it is clear that it was the correct decision.  

Then on our second day of walking again we get stung by a hornet!  I could imagine a congregation experiencing the first new steps on a new found path and then giving up because something stung them.  A sacred elder passed, someone steals the office computer, the PA system fails, an essential volunteer moves away or no shows up for the new community outreach ministry or one of a thousand other perceived set backs.  What we discovered in our hornet incident is that we were prepared.  We had antihistamine, and iodine.  We also discovered help was at hand.  Moments later a couple arrived to hear our story and they offered cortisone cream.  Perfect.  I cannot help but think that the Divine Spirit was at play.   Be prepared but be willing to accept help.   Good advise for our pilgrimage, good advice for a church, good advice in life in general.  By the way hornets are even bigger jerks than wasps!

There is something deeply satisfying about walking again.  The purpose part is true and makes sense but there is more to than just a basic purpose. We are on the move, and once again experiencing new things and doing this with our own strength and intelligence. It isn't just purpose it is sastifaction, the pleasure of being good and tired at the end of the day, food tastes better, views are earned and thus more inspiring, and arrivals at the end of the days journey feels like an accomplishment.  Something has been gained.  

There is the reconnection with the moving community.  We met anne set of pilgrims these past two days, each with their own story,but each sharing some of our experiences.  We et a coupe from California starting a years travelling with the Camino.  We met a group six young women from Lithuania.  We met a Spanish man laid up for two days with a nasty blister.  The list goes on.  Our community of fellow, pilgrims expands and we are enriched by the experience.  This reconnection is very much part of the greater meaning of the journey.