Beginning

Marking the beginning of a pilgrimage isn't as easy as it may sound. Some say it begins when you first feel called to go; some when you begin to prepare. Some say it starts when you take the first steps away from your home toward the place of pilgrimage and still others when you take the first steps of the "official" marked trail. We are on this journey for a variety of reasons and most of us agree that there have been (and continue to be) many beginnings or starting places for this pilgrimage. We are hoping to find strength - both inner and outer - and so our preparations have been a necessary beginning of our pilgrimage. We have walked and hiked and packed and read and saved our pennies and studied and prayed for more than a year all to get ready for what is basically a really long walk.  So you could say this started over a year ago when Kirsten agreed to come along AND to get us physically trained. 

Or you could say that this journey began when we left the Eugene airport before the crack of dawn and headed out of town. Or you could say it really began when we boarded a flight bound for France. Or maybe you think the pilgrimage part hasn't begun because we aren't yet on the "official" Way of St. James. But it sure feels like it has begun. 

We spent the first few days in Paris. I had never been before, and in addition to Kirsten showing me some of her favorite spots & us hitting some classic stops, we also had the joy of staying with some friends from seminary who live in the area called St. Denis. We were able to soak up the calming beauty of Monet at L'Orangerie and watch the crowds at the Eiffel Tower. We saw the over-the-top wealth on display at Versailles and were overwhelmed by the artistry on display at the Louvre. Then, each day we returned to a home where children were doing homework and dinner was being made and laundry was getting folded. This home is in a neighborhood filled with Middle Eastern and North African immigrants, so we had the experience of being surrounded by people who looked different from us. This 'home base' provided us with a grounding in the city of lights. A reminder that while it can feel at times like a city filled with tourists and their selfie sticks (when did people start carrying equipment to perfect phone pics?!), in reality the city is filled with people who are just making their way through life one step at a time, the same as anywhere else. 

So, no matter where the 'starting line' might be, for us the adventure, the journey and the pilgrimage has most certainly begun!