My Camino

A friend of mine always says, “if nothing changes, nothing changes”.? For the past 22 years, my life has been pretty much the same.? I work at the same building, wake up at the same time, sit at the same desk (it’s a little worn), and work with the same clients.? As a 40-something married father with five children, the same is true for my home life - despite the daily chaos.? I came to the realization that it was time for me to try something new in pursuit of personal growth.?

On October 5, 2011, I was driving home from work when I heard an interview on the radio with Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez talking about the Camino de Santiago de Compostella, which loosely translates to The Way of St. James.

The Camino is an ancient pilgrimage trail that begins at various points in Europe and goes to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.? This is believed to be the burial site of St. James, a historical biblical figure. I became fascinated by this adventure and set out to learn as much as possible with the hopes of one day completing the journey myself.

Those who walk the Camino are referred to as pilgrims or peregrinos.? Some pilgrims start as far away as France and walk hundreds of miles for over thirty days.? Others might select a shorter route as I did. ??They carry all their personal items in a backpack and sleep in pilgrim houses, known locally as albergues. These are like a hostel but are reserved exclusively for pilgrims walking the Camino.? A typical albergue consists of a large room with 20-50 bunk beds and one or two showers.? Even though the sleeping arrangements seem less than ideal, it was here that I established some of the deepest connections with other pilgrims. ???

The Camino route is marked with the image of a seashell on a stone pillar or with yellow arrows.? The path leads through small towns, forests, country roads, and open pastures.? Pilgrims receive a passport at the start of their journey and obtain stamps along the way marking the route they took.

With a busy work and family life, I thought there was no way I could simply check-out for a month and wander around Europe, but I was determined to go, even if only for a week.

In June of 2024, I packed my backpack with what I thought were a few essentials and set off on my adventure, alone. After three flights and one bus ride, I arrived in the quiet town of Ferrol, Spain, where my journey would begin. With zero spanish-speaking ability and armed only with Google translate, I began my walk. ?Over the next seven days I would walk seventy-five miles (120 kilometers) and meet people from all over the world. These are just some of the take-aways from that journey.

The Camino is life.

In the big picture of life, everyone is on a journey somewhere.? We are all trying to arrive at some destination in our careers, professional life, or family life.? Some of us face obstacles along the way.? Maybe it’s overcoming a tragedy, a diagnosis, our mental health or a setback of some kind. ??Still, we continue on our own journey despite the challenges.

Some days are harder than others, especially when we have no control over our environment.? Some days are cold, hot, rainy, windy, or gloomy. ?Some days we don’t feel well, our feet hurt from blisters, or our back hurts. ?Still, we fight through the challenge with the knowledge that we are progressing towards our goal.?

Just like in life, people will come and go on our journey, each one adding some value, teaching us something about ourselves, or helping us along the way.? The Camino, like life, is not walked alone.? The journey is better when you share it with others and learn from them.

I believe our path in life is guided by a high power.? There are signs and symbols along the way that guide us to our ultimate destination.? Sometimes we get distracted and miss a turn or think that the route leads in a different direction.? When this happens, we must stop and assess where we are and then find our way back to the path we are meant to be on.

We are all equals

The Camino is the great equalizer. Each day I met new people and we walked a few miles or even the entire day together.? I walked with a billionaire business owner from South Africa, a mathematics professor from Spain, an engineer from Louisiana and a nurse from Belgium. ??It did not matter our background or personal status in life, we saw each other as equals. We all faced the same challenges.?

We all have baggage

I am a planner.? I like to have lots of options just in case something comes up. With this in mind, I intentionally set out to pack as little as possible.? My backpack weighed in at 36 pounds. I packed two sets of clothes, a toothbrush, my kindle, and a jacket. This was probably enough but then I decided to take my laptop, two phones, charges, a notebook, flashlight, bug spray and other items that I really didn’t need.? Standing in my kitchen my backpack felt light but after walking fourteen miles, mostly up-hill, in the sun, the weight was unbearable. Despite my best efforts, I clearly overpacked.? In reality, we need very little to be happy in life.? Things just weigh us down and make our journey more difficult.

Over the next few days, I thought about how many things are weighing me down in life and interfering with my personal journey.? At first, we might try to convince ourselves that these things are weightless but in reality, they grow heavy over time.? My backpack became a symbol for all the other baggage in my life. I tried to focus on those things that I need to let go of, just like that extra flashlight.

There were times on the Camino when I saw pilgrims carrying some else’s backpack. Maybe they were exhausted from the day’s walk or their feet hurt. In life, there are times when we need to help others carry their burdens. ?I met a man who was walking with his two daughters.? It was clear that he was teaching them about the struggles of life, how to overcome challenges and the power of resilience.? At one point, this man carried his daughter because she was struggling with the pain of her blisters. That image will stay with me for a lifetime as an example of compassion for others and a reminder that sometimes we need to step in and help those around us.

Kindness is a universal language

I had the opportunity to met people from all over the world and quickly learned that the language barrier was significant. ?In true American fashion, I only speak english. ?Sure, Google translate goes a long way with the essentials but a smile or kind gesture, like sharing food and water, can also create power connections. Kindness is a universal language.?

There is a value in silence

There were days when I walked completely alone for hours at a time.? It was during this time that I heard my own voice clearer than ever before. ?When was the last time you had a prolonged period of silence?? For me - never.? Emails, phone calls, and meetings fill our days.? This uninterrupted period of silence gave me an opportunity to think and exam what is important in my life.

Seven days and seventy-five miles later I arrived at Santiago de Compostella.? As I walked into the central square at the cathedral, I was surrounded by hundreds of pilgrims arriving from different routes.? It was here that I reconnected with all those people I had met along the way. I sat for while taking in the experience and what I had just experienced.?

As I look back on this journey, I can confidently say that something changed in me.? By taking myself out of my normal day to day routine and facing a challenge (that many people thought was crazy), I was given a priceless opportunity for self-reflection and personal growth.? After all, if nothing changes, nothing changes.