Lessons from my knee

    I had breakfast with daughter Gabrielle earlier this week.  We were talking about our knees and the pain that we have experienced in them.  I told her about my going to the doctor a little over a year ago because my knee hurt every morning when I walked.  The doctor gave me some exercises to do which I started (and am still doing).  I proudly reported that I've had a few brief pains, but pretty much nothing that is a concern.
    So much for pride --that evening I experienced terrible pain in my right knee, the kind that made it feel like my leg was going to buckle under me.  Since I'm about 2 months from the Camino, this was a concern!  What's going on?  Luckily, my knee healed considerably during my sleep that night and I took it easy on my walk the next morning with the pain disappearing completely.
   But the whole thing made me think of the story in Luke 12:16-21 that tells of the rich man who decides to build bigger storehouses for his great harvest, only to die that night.  I may think I am ready to walk the Camino, but things change quickly, and a knee in pain, an injury, an illness... many things could end the pilgrimage for me.  The only thing certain is how I live my life in the present.
   I was reflecting on this scripture as it also concerns where I am in my life right now.  At age 60 I find myself looking much more carefully at preparations for retirement, have we put enough in our pensions and IRAs?  Are we going to be okay with health insurance?  Do we need long term insurance?  Are our wills in order?  We can't prepare for every surprise that might be ahead in life, but there certainly are preparations that we can make.  But can we make them without building bigger storehouses?
    I have a vision of our living very simply in retirement one day.  The best way to practice that is to live simply right now and packing for the Camino has been helping me to look at just few "things" one needs.   Rather than building bigger storehouses hopefully Richard and I learning to live "smaller" and to be in a position to practice generosity throughout our lives along with taking care of our basic needs.  I'll be thinking about this more as I walk the Camino.  May you find God's abundance is already with you.