[Gocamino] Somport Pass

[Judith Nollar]

Dear Rosina,

Many, many thanks for taking time to send your most encouraging message!
It is truly "Friend-ly", and I know it will help me recruit  a doubtful
companion or two.  Your generosity is much appreciated, as it has been
over the years in this wonderful group.

Blessings,

Judy

 

________________________________

From: Blaroli at aol.com [mailto:Blaroli at aol.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 6:15 PM
To: Judith Nollar; GoCamino at oakapple.net
Cc: saintjames at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Gocamino] Somport Pass

 

Hi Judy,
Two friends and I walked from Somport to Puente la Reina  (the one in
Navarra, not the one in Aragon) two years ago..
One of the most fulfilling,  and utterly delightful, features of the
Aragonese route is that, unlike the Navarrese sector of the French
Camino, the Aragonese one is blessedly free of structured
every-step-of-the-way advice and guidance;  yet, it is ever so
comforting and companioble, though crowds-free. 
There's lots of only-you-and-the-Camino stretches. on the Aragonese
route.... which is somewhat the way it must have been, way back, when
pilgrims follow their hearts with their feet towards  the light shining
through a crack in a window of their souls..
The on-your-own, but not really,  realization, is unexpectedly
empowering  and fulfilling, perhaps more so to us today because it is so
completely at odds with our modern psychological upbringing  to expect
most things to be done for us..
The Aragonese route,  the Via de la Plata, the Northern and the
Primitive Camino  in my view and experience,  replace accustomed
comforts with a heck of a recourse to one's inner 
amazing resources.
A pilgrim from Greece sent me a message saying that walking the Camino
he had fully understood the meaning of the (originally Greek) word
"enthusiasm", which deriving from
"Theos" (God), means "the God within" all of us.. He mentioned that the
private   on-your--own stretches on the Aragonese route of the Camino
had revelaed to him what all the years qualifying for his PhD in
philosophy had not.
Personally, I am eager to walk from Somport again.
Regards,
Rosina