[Gocamino] Children on the camino

[Rebekah Scott]

I think communion is between the communee and whatever
significance he attaches to the moment and the medium.
It's a lot like a Compostela. To some it's just a
piece of paper; to others it is the culmination of
their entire hike, a much-appreciated official seal of
community. 

Children really dig the community and the Official
Approval Certificate aspect of the Compostela, I am
sure...It's like winning a ribbon in the school
science fair. I imagine it's especially hard for a
child to accept not getting the paper if his bigger
brother or sister get one and he doesn't. It's not
FAIR!  

I think the unfairness is that some tour operators
take their 4-star customers on van-supported daily
hikes on selected bits of camino trail, then run
hither and yon with a handful of credencials
collecting sellos for them. At the end of the trail
the hikers are herded into the cathedral office with
their pristine credencials and handed the same
compostela given to long-distance hikers. 
...but then pikers and hustlers have been a part of
the trail for centuries!   

I don't object to supported hikers; I was a camino
tourist myself a while back. But now that I have a
sello (a right nice one, I might add!)  I am careful
who I give it to. One per customer. And any little kid
who's hiking that far is first in line!  


 
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