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<P>Dear Ed,</P>
<P>If I may, I would like to qualify your answer. In material terms, the destination is, perhaps, as important as the means to get there. Remember the say, "The end does not justify the means?" One must strike a balance between his goals in (material) life and how to achieve them, perhaps by not eliminating everybody who happens to interfere with those goals. If you want to be a lawyer, you must attend law school and get your diploma in order to qualify. </P>
<P>However, in spiritual terms -and that is what we are dealing with here- it is not so clear cut. We are dealing with many mysteries: God, life after death, paradise, spirituality, mysticism, whatever one's beliefs might be. So, the important factor is, indeed, the process, the journey, how one behaves in its course, the means -not the end. You build your road as you walk, and the way you walk will determine your destination. Spiritual benefits are not tangible (always, anyway). We are dealing on faith, not empiricism, careerism or a competitive process where only the best will get to the end. I do think that the Camino is a process that will help us better live our lives in this mateiral plane by elevating us spiritually. And for this goal, everybody who is even thinking of walking the Camino is already in the process, already knows what her/his goal is. It is sincerity, not efficiency, that counts. It is my opinion, for what it is worth. All the best.<BR><B!
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<DIV><STRONG><EM>Antonio Carlos da Silva Rosa </EM></STRONG></DIV><STRONG><EM>Lisboa-Portugal</EM></STRONG>
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<DIV><A href="mailto:antonio_silva1ahotmail.com"><STRONG>antonio_silva1ahotmail.com</STRONG></A></DIV>
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<DIV></DIV>>From: Ed <ED_MADDENaLINEONE.NET>
<DIV></DIV>>Reply-To: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
<DIV></DIV>>To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: "Mature" walking
<DIV></DIV>>Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2003 18:47:56 +0100
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>I utterly and absolutely disagree. The *** most important *** thing in
<DIV></DIV>>life is to work out *** where *** you want to go; i.e. what is your
<DIV></DIV>>destination. Heaven possibly? (or maybe just Santiago for now). Of
<DIV></DIV>>course, how you get there does matter very very much indeed, but unless you
<DIV></DIV>>know your aim (and this can take a lifetime in itself) you just end up
<DIV></DIV>>drifting. And it is right that people should be concerned about where
<DIV></DIV>>they are going; they should not be desparaged. But you have to keep
<DIV></DIV>>looking with hope and optimism and charity; but that doesn't mean to say you
<DIV></DIV>>can't enjoy things along the way.
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>Ed
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>----- Original Message -----
<DIV></DIV>>From: "Kerrie Littlejohn" <KERRIELITTLEJOHNaHOTMAIL.COM>
<DIV></DIV>>To: <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
<DIV></DIV>>Sent: Friday, June 13, 2003 11:59 PM
<DIV></DIV>>Subject: Re: "Mature" walking
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>><SNIP>
<DIV></DIV>>
<DIV></DIV>>... it is not where you are going that is important, it is how you get
<DIV></DIV>>there. I have met too many people in life that are so worried about where
<DIV></DIV>>they are going they never seem to stop to enjoy the little things.
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<DIV></DIV>><SNIP>
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