Why a pilgrimage?

"And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and joyful, by which we arrive at the ground at our feet, and learn to be at home."   Wendell Berry  (quoted at the beginning of Pilgrim Heart by Sarah York)

Each time I prepare to the begin walking a labyrinth I have to pause.  When I first started walking labyrinths I would be hit by anxiety: "Do I really have time to make this walk?"  Over the years I have learned that I do have time, but still, I have that fleeting moment of anxiety.  I certainly expect to have that anxiety rise at times over this summer: "What am I doing?  Do I really have six weeks to just walk along this Camino?"  And when I experience that anxiety I will remind myself that yes, I do have time for this spiritual journey, one which will no doubt be humbling at times, and hopefully will be joyful at others, and by the end, I hope I will better know how to be at home.
   I will have to leave behind many, many of the things that give me comfort: my husband Richard, grandchildren and all the rest of my family, my church, my home, car, routine, work.  I think that is part of the work of pilgrimage - at least I'm seeing that in the pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago.  Backpacking is not something with which I have much experience.  I'm wondering how I'll do as I try to find the refugio where I'll spend the night though I will be extremely tired, dealing with sore feet, and very limited Spanish.  Making a pilgrimage will require me to rely heavily upon God and no doubt we'll have a few talks during my walks each day.
   I wanted to do something that would challenge me as I have learned from all the retirees I have called on through the years that aging is not for the faint-hearted.  I need to make sure I am connected to my most inner strength as well as connected to God.  I have read many stories of the pilgrims of the past - those walking in the year 900, or 1200, or 1350.  When I do feel some concern I find that it is comforting to remember that thousands have made this walk prior to me.  Many making this pilgrimage during medieval time lost their life to bandits, illness or injury.  My pilgrimage does not require me to be ready to lay down my life, just my comforts.
   Sarah York writes that "Pilgimage... invites you to travel with your heart, guided toward an inner goal that may be as much in the journey as in the arrival."  My excitement about walking the Camino is there, in the journey.  I do not have a great desire to see Santiago de Compestelo (thought I'll probably be pretty excited to see it after the 475 +/- miles to get there).  But I do have a great desire to journey, to travel with different people on a daily basis, to walk on this earth and see it in a way I will not see in a car, to find community with groups of people who may speak a variety of languages, and to find God in the midst of all of this. 
   Again, from Sarah York: "Spiritual journey takes us to the sacred sites of our past, of our world, and of our imagination.  Sometimes we travel from home on pilgrimage, but our real journey is the one we take within ourselves."  May your journey be blessed.