Giving and Receiving

[Andrea Innes-Michailov]

In response to Dale:

It just occured to me is that what is an issue here is being in the moment,
as opposed to trying to get somewhere, always ahead of ourselves, not being
where we are.  BEING where we are would require a response like picking up
garbage, seeing what's there, reacting to it honestly.

I often think of a young and crying pregnant woman who I saw sitting on the
sidewalk in Manhatten in 1989.  Every inch of my soul wanted to go to help
her but I did not. I still don't know how I could have helped her, I was
only 22 years old then.  But there should have been a way, a how.

Food for thought...
Thanks for what you wrote Dale, it was VERY helpful & important.

Andrea

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage [mailto:GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU]On
> Behalf Of Kathy Gower
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 10:51 AM
> To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
> Subject: Re: Giving and Receiving
>
>
> Dear Dale, et al,
>
> I have often puzzled over two things--how do I reincorporate my pilgrimage
> experiences into my daily life after I return, and, how can I give back to
> the Camino.
>
> What I have come up with is this:  When I can take those experiences and
> begin to articulate them for myself (and others) in away that leads to new
> undersanding, then I am almost there.  When I can find meaningful
> action to
> make those Camino learnings (and yearnings) manifest, then I am almost
> complete.
>
> Right about El Acebo it occurred to me to relax about the aches and pains
> and rush for refugios and just pick up one small bag of garbage a day.  It
> was lovely, actually and not too much stress. When I got home and
> wondering
> how to get to be a hospitalero or give money, etc, etc., I remembered that
> small act and re-created it at home.
>
> That giving back doesn't need to happen in Spain, necessarily.  It can
> happen anywhere.
>
> Buen Camino,
> kathy
>
>
>
>
> >for us to give something back to the camino.  Obviously appropriate
> >personal conduct must go without saying - picking up litter along the
> >way would also be a small token of respect for our Spanish hosts.  I've
> >tried to think of other ways in which a humble, temporarily-homeless
> >pilgrim might give thanks but haven't come up with anything
> >substantial.  Just wondered what others might think.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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