A year has passed since I crossed a major item of my bucket list — last September, I completed a portion of the Camino de Santiago. More simply put, I walked 200 miles through Spain.
Clearly such a decision requires some explanation.
The Camino de Santiago is best described as a pilgrimage. Many complete the trek for religious reasons; others to fuel a period of change in their lives. For me, it promised time away to re-calibrate after three years of flat-out hustle (earning an MBA while working full-time) and to tackle thoughts brought on by my 30’s: who am I? what do I want? how can I serve?
So I mustered up the courage to ask for a few weeks off. What was the worst that could happen? I made the case and nearly a decade after first hearing about “The Way,” I set out on my camino armed with 2 weeks’ worth of gear and a lifetime of questions.
As I navigated my way through the northwestern part of the country — guided by markers pointing travelers in the right direction — I reveled in the fact that life was stripped down to the basics of just showing up & moving forward. Each morning pilgrims rise, walk, eat, walk some more & spend time with fellow travelers – for days on end. I was lucky enough to meet & share the journey with seven wonderful Spaniards — we swapped stories, laughed at language barriers and cried in empathy. We got blisters (or in my case, heat rash) and coped with aching muscles, but were rewarded with clear minds & bursting hearts. It’s difficult to describe, but the camino is simultaneously the hardest and easiest thing I’ve ever done. Attempting to put it into words feels like an injustice.
So, what I hope to convey is the importance of listening. Listening when your mind & body tell you it’s time for a break from the chaos & providing an opportunity to retreat within yourself. While some companies offer formal sabbaticals, most of us aren’t that lucky. It’s up to us to look out for our well-being & recognize when true disconnection can help us answer questions we never thought to ask.
