Post Camino stuff

[Jane Engel]

Russ,

Thanks for your post and . . .'way to go with your skydive! Actually, I too
have had fantasies of doing the same thing, but still don't know if I have
the guts - or haven't 'chosen' to follow-up with my fantasy!

Edie wrote:

>There's a book
>called "Pilgrim Stories" by Nancy Frey  (ISBN 0-520-21751-9) where she
>discusses post-Camino stories shared by countless pilgrims.  A quote from
>the book, ". . . another outcome of the pilgrims' interactions with the
>Camino that continues to work in their daily lives is a sense of personal
>empowerment acquired through the way."

I have just finished reading Nancy Frey's book (since my return from
part-walking the Camino in May) and found it excellent - not least because
of the way she talked about the returning pilgrims' experiences in
endeavoring to get back into their lives, especially when so much seemed to
change internally for many (including me) after experiencing the Camino.
And I'm really appreciating that it is possible to still have the pilgrim
experience whether walking every step of the way or not, whether staying in
refugios or not, whether drinking bottled water or not. After being home a
couple of months, it's still not easy to really put into words just what
has touched me so deeply about being on the Camino, so I want to thank
everyone who is able to express their experience and has done so on this
list. Thank you!

And like you, Russ, I know I will also return - just a matter of when! So
here's to all those who make the Camino more than once!

Jane

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>I've been feeling the need to share this here and I apologize if it may
>seem not relevant to some,
>but from much of what I've read (and experienced myself) there is a
>disorienting feeling once one
>gets back home and into everday life again. Also, I'm one of the ones who
>didn't make it the whole
>way even though it had an impact on my life that will endure for the rest
>of my life (and beyond
><g>).
>
>Anyway, since I've been back I finally fulfilled a lifelong dream. I've
>always "wanted" to go
>skydiving, and two weeks ago I "chose" to do it! (there's a big difference
>between those two words)
>That means that at age 53, after about 6 hours of ground training, I
>jumped out of a perfectly good
>airplane at 13,500 feet! It was FANTASTIC!!
>
>Did the Camino in some way lead me to this? I don't know, but I know that
>I still can't get the
>Camino out of my mind and will most likely be going back next year to pick
>up where I left off.
>
>Russ