I'm from Planet Earth

[Sally Haden]

Hello all
and I hope it is not too late to wish you blessings and good fortune for the
year ahead of us.  Today I am in the middle of catching up on the
discussions that have taken place on GOCAMINO during my absence in Ireland,
and although I suppose (and hope - I have yet to read all the mail) that
things have moved on since the hot topic that flew around immediately over
Christmas, I would like to put in a small comment.

.....which is, hey, it's been real fun reading!  I refer to the interesting
discussions around identity or what one says when a stranger asks "where are
you from?"  As a person born and living on the eastern side of the Atlantic,
I appreciate the tendency towards vulnerability that people from the United
States must feel these days, both within their own country and when they
travel outside it.  And while it is true that a pilgrimage journey should
bring everyone together (and therefore a forum about such a pilgrimage
journey), that would only be completely true in an ideal world.  Without an
ideal world, there will be differences and strife and love and war
everything in between.  It has been good to hear the various tones and
voices.
For personal preference, I have to say I am not altogether comfortable with
claims to the right to enclose or limit this forum, for instance as below:
>It's incredible and appalling that this List, dedicated to those seeking
>closer union with God and looking for love and compassion among their
>fellow
>Man though the Camino pilgrimage, should sometimes descend into.........
>Peace and Love,
>Ed
I am not walking on the Camino right at this minute, but my imagination and
desire to have a bit of fun  with the topic prompts me to pretend that I am
and that someone walking with me just said "where are you from?", and I
reply "I am from Planet Earth"!
In actual fact I am English, which also means British, but that's another
debate, another story, which a fellow list-serve member from my country can
take up as a topic if he so wishes! (ie Jeffrey, except I think he already
made a comment about this.)  There was a study done recently, reported in
the news yesterday, about people's sense of identity in the UK.  Those whose
parents emigrated to Britain years ago and who were born in Britain, call
themselves British apparently, even though they were actually born in
England.  But those whose parents and grandparents etc etc were born in
England call themselves English.
Oh well, so the world goes round and round.
Finally, I agree with Ana that the Camino surely does not have to be
regarded simply as a Christian phenomenon by us?
Peace to all
Sally

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