My only two "Pilgrimages" I would say are both related to music. My last time on a plane before this week was a Christmas present Noreen got me to have a long weekend in Liverpool to soak myself in Beatles stuff! After all the years of reading books and listening to the music they created. to see first hand Menlove Avenue where John lived with his Aunt Mimi, or Paul, George and Ringos childhood homes, to see Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields...this WAS for me a "pilgimage".
Then going back a number of years further (Catherine was about 15 months old and Maria was 6...Noreen and I must have been...about...17 I'd say!). We VERY rarely take "holidays" I not proud of that, but we always found other uses for our money (and I suppose living in England for many years dud mean "holidays" were used to "get home").
But, I digress, one evening Noreen was flicking through Teletext (people were always saying that they were booking cheap holidays off it, we just used to use FourTel to play BANBOOZEL!).
Anyway Noreen book a long weekend (Easter) in Birmingham. The trip included, hotel, breakfast and evening meals, and tickets to Cadburys World, Warwick Castle and the Acquarium! It was certainly less than £300 and it felt like we'd been away for a month! The pilgrimage part however was my request to take a little detour after Stratford upon Avon. Since I was 14 and my friend John Holland played me his sisters album of Nick Drakes Five Leaves Left, I have had such a love for his music. Another one for whom life just got too much for. So our detour took us to his parents house and to his simple grave in a Chocolate Box English churchyard.
My abiding thought on THIS pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella is EVERYONE moving for days weeks and months in the SAME direction. Different reasons...one GOAL!
And so here I am, on a train, leaving this stunningly beautiful city bound for the bustling vibrant Madrid. On my train journey into Galecia a week ago, I first encountered the strange routine of having my passport checked and baggage scanned prior to boarding...and the same now on the return. There is obviously a reason, but it's odd to show your passport "in country". But it also does make it feel like to travelling abroad again..so that's not a bad thing.
About Last Night...
So the day ended with the Pilgrims Mass at 7:30pm and then a little dinner before bed. The Botafumeiro was not in action (it relatively rare now to see it) so I had no expectations...I would have LOVED to see it...but not disappointed that I didn't.
2,342 pilgrims received their Compostella yesterday according to the Catheral website today, so it's important to understand how many do this every year. The high season to begin are the shoulder months of April and May, September and October...I imagine 2,000 is probably a reasonable daily average meaning about 750,000 make it. Millions over the years. I count myself a member now of another family (I seem to be picking up new ones quite often these days!).
At mass I met my Canadian friends...who I hadn't seen on the road. We spoke for some time after Mass. and I thanked them both so much for their company, which had 100% made me pick up my pace.
I then went in search of much needed food and I was a little of the beaten track when I saw my Norwegian Peragrino coming toways me with her group, more hugs and joy ensued. For me it meant that I had meet once more EVERY single fellow Peagrino I had spent time walking and talking with...I was overjoyed! It made me think of what was I doing, really, when I started out. Like I said I had NO expectations...every single thing was a bonus. Physically (for me) it was tremendously hard, but I KNEW it was not going to be a problem. Noreens words when she was going through her illness this year..."I'm not in pain (when she clearly was), I'm "healing". I've sent some people small messages over the past few days about things they have said or done for me over the years...maybe it was a kind sentence, or a seemingly small action...but those things can have a HUGE impact on a person's life...and that person may never know. This was NEVER. NEVER, NEVER about the walking. If I want to walk I have White Mountain in the Blackstairs Range looming over our house as we look down the drive. I have St Mullens and its River Barrow Walk, less than 15 minutes drive away. Never about the walk, the stats, the time or distance.
There are two main groups who undertake this...Pilgrims and Hikers...I always knew which subgroup I was in. I loved walking with "hikers" and no one would dream of asking another "why are you doing this?" because it does not matter.
Every single person is going to experience this "their way". Some will feel a sense of physical achievement (and rightly so...as I do) others will feel "Spiritually Uplifted" others might ever lose their faith...or experience...nothing. And that's OK.
Emotionally I really feel I've matured. What I mean is, I am one of God's "easy criers" and I as OK with that today as I was last week. But something funny happened yesterday, walking and praying (I should say other than my ritual of a single decade of the rosary as I left each morning, and the odd Our Father at shines, this pray was in the form of mantras almost. I would think of a person in my life, maybe someone who I might only see or hear from once in a decade, I would ask for their intentions to be heard. and that would lead me on to maybe a person I associate with THAT person and do the same etc. Sometimes at roast stops I would look at Facebook and look at "Likes" and start the process there, so chances are if you liked posts...you got more prayers! You see sometimes vanity does pay off).
Off tangent Gerry, get back on the trail.
So anyway, yesterday through tears I was walking in the dark and slipped because I had continued walking and was reaching for a tissue. I said to myself...Gerry being a cry baby is bad enough but you have to suppress them sometimes or your path will get very blurry!
Before I left this morning I was making a quick video call to Noreen and the girls (and Ryan and Cianan too...lucky me) showing the outside of the Catherals architecture. I noticed there was no queue for the crypt...so I paid one final visit to the reliquary. Does it really contain the remains of the Apostle, probably not, these things had such a political impact in Medieval times, it is highly doubtful. However, to me, it I'd matter before I got there, or when I got there. This was the end point that millions of others had got to over the last 1,000 years. That was ENOUGH.
This brings me to the end of my journey (not my pilgrimage, that will continue my whole earthly life). Sitting in McDonalds in STUNNING MADRID. With a Big Mac and a (alcohol free) Beer...I jest you not!
To words will remain my abiding memories of these past few days...KINDNESS and ENOUGH.
I have been blown away by people's kindness. Kind words, kind actions, people have just been kind. No a SINGLE person (locals, service providers or fellow peragrinos) has been anything but KIND. It's such a lovely thing...I hope to up my "kindness" as I travel on.
And ENOUGH..I am enough, I rediscovered me this week. And realise yet again what a wonderful opportunity life is...I'm far from perfect. and that's OK. I can work on improving those imperfections...but I like me again!
ENOUGH!
in memory of our faithful departed
To my Father's (ALL three of them...one gave me life, one gave me nurturing and Noreens Dad gave me wisdom) RIP
To my Mother who gave me two great passions, walking and politics!
To friends who have left us too soon
To Arthur, To Declan, To Alan, To John To Jim
To all of my friends, and family many whom I never see, but you are living in my head. whether you want to or not.
But to my girls...what more can a father ask than their child's happiness...you bring me that every day so your own levels must have some to spare!!
Every single step of this journey was taken with Noreen by my side. My soul mate since I was 17! Now there was a good decision I made! Without you this would have been meaningless!
I'm signing off now before they kick me out of McDonalds...you know...
BAWLING!
Adios...Buenos Notches
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