13 May 2013

Vergen of the Camino
just west of Leon

A Perfect Day

Not to be misleading, the day wasn't perfect. But the message is. I was able to get only 2-3 hours sleep due to one character in the albergue who made it so difficult for the 52 who were sharing the large room with him. This was another lesson in 'temperance' that I wrote about many days ago.

In addition, it was a hard 27km walk today. The morning started off a delight. A slight breeze and cool temps. We spent the day walking into the outskirts of Leon's industrial parks, then into Leon. Our goal was to get to the Cathedral. To get there one must snake through what some might call 'quaint' little streets that followed a corkscrew pattern. Times I felt like a rat in a maze. By this time the sun was beating down. It reached 80 degrees. This I am unaccustomed.

I must say, the Cathedral of Santa Maria in Leon is stunning. It is gothic in design and resembles Notre Dame in Paris. I can attest to this. I had a short stop in Paris and even got to attend mass there. It pulses with spirituality and history. Leon had much the same feel.

What is most amazing at the cathedral is the stain glass windows and intricate stone carvings that extend to high arches. These are 30-40 feet in the air and men who worked on these must have spent their lifetime in just one corner of it. No exaggeration there. The entire church structure probably took 100 years to complete.

Eric and I went to pay the ticket admission and learned that it was 10 min from siesta time. The cathedral would close. We'd have to come back 3 hrs later. What we did see was breath-taking. I did get a few photos.

We left to discuss plans and decided to leave the roar of the big city and head off to the next albergue. It pained me to keep walking in the heat when I was so depleted from the frustrating night of nonsleep. Off we went the additional 8k to where we are now. I pray for a good night's sleep. Amazing how much more difficult the day is without deep rest.

Forgive a bit of a backtrack here. On a delightful part of the morning I ended up walking with Mairi, a lady from Glasgow, Scotland who is traveling with a lady friend of hers from London. It was so entertaining to hear Spanish attempted in the Scottish brough.

We both hit a fast pace and walked together for a good bit. She shared with me that she had walked the camino 3 years ago with her husband who actually died at the albergue in Rabie. It was a painful story she shared. I read that, on the average, 3 people a year die on the camino. Never thought I'd actually talk to a personal account of one.

As she shared her story with me, she made a mention that it just so happened that this albergue were he died was one that had only 8 beds and the couple who ran it, do so as a way to dedicate their lives to pilgrims. She shared that she committed to walking the camino starting at the albergue where her husband died so that she could personally thank the couple for the compassionate and loving way they handled such a difficult moment. She's choking up and I'm besides myself with such a grief-filled, surprising story.

She shared that the couple would send little notes of comfort to her on occasion. They created a plaque for her husband to honor him at that albergue. ( Surprising as it may seem, there are many little monuments on the camino done in white marble with the name of a loved one who passed away at that spot on the camino). This kind couple were so generous in kindness and compassion, even during the past 3 years, Mairi said, "I thought, there is not a day I don't remember my husband, but never could he have passed in a more loving place. I thought of the couple often and was so thankful for them, I could only offer my thanks in prayer.

We got separated by some distractions, and I was left to my private prayer time. I was led to remember something I once heard that connected strongly. It was at a Feed My Starving Children fund raising banquet. The keynote speaker made this comment: " A perfect day is when you've done something for someone whom you can not hear them say thank you." You know, in your heart, that the deed went to someone in need, in pain, in loneliness, in sympathy, but they were unable or too distraught to react. No need. The deed made it a "perfect day" for someone.

I met up with Mairi later and shared my blog and asked her permission to share some of her story. She heartedly agreed. She said, "That message is ideal for the albergue couple. They have made many perfect days for me and my family during these years after the tragedy."

I found the reflection of "a perfect day" especially endearing. In my line of ministry, there are so many wounded souls needing a healing word, a conversation that demonstrates someone really cares about their struggles, someone to get in the trench and dig with them. Someone to love them, just as they are.

That's all fine. But to do the surprising kind deed done without chance of thanks or repayment speaks of deep love and humility. No one knows, except the wounded. This might sound strange, but we can be the private answer, God's messenger that He knows, cares, and has heard their prayer and sent ME/YOU. We're part of the His answer. That really is awesome.

They pray, God hears, and we're an instrument He uses to answer the prayer. And done privately, we help make it "A Perfect Day."

So many days on the camino I've had to shout out a call for God to help me. Today was one of them. Then suddenly a new breath fills me and I can go on. A surprising breeze gave me some desperately needed comfort. The albergue has a bed, and if specially blessed, a bottom bunk.

All these things occur and I think: Someone is praying for me. I don't know who. I can't thank them. But they helped give me a "perfect day."

Jesus said, "Be perfect. Just as your Heavenly Father is perfect." I used to think, OK, you made me human with imperfections. How can I be perfect like you?

I later learned that some scripture commentaries point out that perfect in not to do with human behavior. God is perfect in two ways: Love and mercy. Some claim the bible can be distilled into just those two words. The entire book contains stories and messages to illustrate the many times and examples of God's love and mercy.

I/We can make a 'perfect' day by some deed done for someone who can not thank us. Someone is such need. Someone who needs love and mercy.

Someone who is starved for a "Perfect Day."

Thank you for the many prayers that has made 'perfect' my camino.

I pray my prayers will somehow give you a 'perfect day.'

Let's go make perfect days for some unexpected souls.

Upcoming:
Heading toward Astoria

Carinosamente,

Deacon Willie