Last Saturday, when I met with my Raleigh Chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino, our leader recognized any in our group who would be heading out on the path in the next month; that was me. In the presence of many who have walked the Camino, and others who are anticipating that journey, he … Continue reading Camino Bound: A Blessing for the Journey
Pilgrims and Patients: Walking a Common Path
Yesterday I met with my "tribe" of members of the Raleigh Chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino https://www.facebook.com/groups/199622577531678/. Thirty of us took the annual five-mile sunflower walk at the Dorothea Dix Park. This is the third time I've done a Saturday hike with the group and each time I've met different people; every time … Continue reading Pilgrims and Patients: Walking a Common Path
Camino Prep: Setbacks
It's four weeks now until I leave for Portugal to walk the Coastal Camino path to Santiago. I'm amazed at how the time has passed since I first made the plan to go on pilgrimage on that ancient path. Since I started my training at the Hunter St Park, we've gone through fall, winter, spring, … Continue reading Camino Prep: Setbacks
Artist’s Residency: A Gift of Grace
This summer heat has reminded me of 2016 when my solo journey was two weeks at an artist's residency. I applied and was accepted to Artcroft https://artcroft.org a sixty-six acre Kentucky farm and working space for artists of various mediums. The application was lengthy and required several references. Not only would I work on a … Continue reading Artist’s Residency: A Gift of Grace
Cancerversary: The Things You Carry
Yesterday I celebrated twenty-four years since being diagnosed with breast cancer; how grateful I am to be saying this again. Over the years, I've made friends with others who've gone through treatment like me, as well as women that have either not survived or had to deal with ongoing metastatic breast cancer (MBC). A woman … Continue reading Cancerversary: The Things You Carry
Internal Pilgrimage: Plunging into Mystery
In the last two posts, I've explored aspects of the internal pilgrimage that we're all walking using Christine Walter's Paintner's gifts of embracing doubt. ( p112, Ch. 7, "The Practice of Embracing the Unknown" The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within ) When thinking about mystery, I considered why it is … Continue reading Internal Pilgrimage: Plunging into Mystery
Internal Pilgrimage: Questioning Long-Held Assumptions
Last week I shared with you a section of the book, The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within. It's a resource I'm using to prepare for my upcoming Camino journey, but on a broader level, one for looking at the internal journey that we're all walking. In the book, Christine Valters … Continue reading Internal Pilgrimage: Questioning Long-Held Assumptions
The Pilgrimage Within
Two months from next Wednesday, I'll set off for my Camino journey. On August 5th, I'll fly to Porto, Portugal the starting point for my trek that'll last for 17 days and 173 miles. I've been training--more or less, over the past few months, building my time in my trail running shoes, walking for hours … Continue reading The Pilgrimage Within
Memorial Day: The Sacrifices of War
Tomorrow we observe Memorial Day in the United States. According to an article on the history of this holiday, it was created to honor the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history This came immediately after the Civil War in 1865 which "claimed more lives than any conflict in U.S. … Continue reading Memorial Day: The Sacrifices of War
Wait on the Lead
Throughout my life, I've found it hard to wait. And now, our world is going at such a fast pace that we find our environment is not conducive to waiting. Growing up in the country, when I was a young girl living on a farm, the pace of life was much slower and there was … Continue reading Wait on the Lead