Motives--Escapism

[Lisa Kraus]

Jane,
 
I think you are much like many of the pilgrims you will likely meet during your journey and you shouldn't worry too much about your desire to escape.  After all, what were the pilgims in the Middle Ages doing walking to Santiago if not trying to escape their sin?
 
You will find that a great many people walk the Camino because they are at a transition point in their lives.  I think this is because it can be very beneficial to escape our everyday lives which weigh us down and to simplify things.  In the peace and simplicity of the Camino, we can sort out in our minds what is truly important to us and refocus our energies towards whatever that is.  
 
Cheer up!  My instinct is that your life is truly "simple and beautiful" underneath all of the clutter of day-to-day living.  It's okay to want to escape, to take a step back and see things from a broader perspective.  
 
I also believe that many of us find ourselves unsure of the exact reason we feel compelled towards Santiago.  The answer usually comes to us eventually, though it is often very subtle.  
 
Lisa Kraus
lmkraus at doane.edu

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: Jane Shoemaker [mailto:elizjs at SHAW.CA] 
	Sent: Thu 10-Apr-03 1:04 PM 
	To: GOCAMINO at PETE.URI.EDU 
	Cc: 
	Subject: Motives
	
	

	Hello -
	My date of departure is coming very soon and my thoughts are full of the
	Camino.
	One question in my mind has been about my motives in going.  Up until now I
	have been able to identify a lot of different reasons why I want to walk the
	Camino.
	But now I am suddenly surprised with the possibility that -- perhaps my real
	motive is just ESCAPISM -- it is just too difficult for me to deal with the
	"real world"  and I am just wanting to fly over the rainbow to this
	marvellous place where all of my problems go away, and life is simple and
	beautiful.
	The idea that my main goal is simply escapism depresses me a lot.
	How about the nature of escapism?
	Maybe we sometimes need escapism?
	I'd be interested in hearing some other people's points of view about this.
	Jane