Our walk from Vila do Conde into Barcelos was beautiful. We had decided to switch from the coastal route to the central path because of the blustery Atlantic winds. While both trails were gorgeous, we knew we had made the right choice as we meandered northward through the heart of Portugal.
The countryside was stunning, and the weather was superb—crisp cool mornings with a breeze and the warm sun on our backs as the day progressed. The cloud formations were breathtaking as they rested upon the bluest skies. Then, every once in a while, we would be pummeled by the most beautiful rainstorms. I loved these days, and I felt the unpredictability of the weather added to my excitement. Some days I would dash in and out of my rain-gear every fifteen minutes, and sometimes I just let the rain fall upon me. It always made for an exciting day.
One of the things I treasure during my travels is the people I meet. There is a saying on the trail-The Way always provides. I found this to be true in many ways, and yet, I marveled every time I encountered these moments which provided me with precisely what I needed.
As we entered Barcelhos, a passerby stopped and offered us freshly picked oranges. They were refreshing and sweet and provided sustenance for the moment. He gave us enough for the next few days, and I was thankful each time I enjoyed this gift. I still remember this simple act of kindness and the impact it made upon me.
If I felt overwhelmed or even slightly sorry for myself over anything, I would think of Ireland, a family of six who were mourning the sudden loss of their thirty-seven-year-old daughter earlier this year. The walk was to celebrate her life, and I looked forward to running into them regularly. It brightened my days in ways they would never know. The Way reminded me that life should be lived as a celebration.
I met Marta and her family in Spain. She was with her husband and two teenage sons walking to Santiago during Holy Week. Marta had dedicated this walk to her sister, who had a reoccurrence of her breast cancer. I noticed Marta because she wore the most beautiful shade of red lipstick and a purple rain poncho. She explained that this was done for her sister and said there should be beauty even in the not-so-beautiful places or moments in our lives. She also told me that we can not choose what brings us pain, but we can choose if we suffer. Her words were what I needed to hear that day, and I wept over the goodness of The Way.
I met Juan Carlos in Santiago, and his heart and soul touched mine in a way that is difficult to put into words. It feels like those moments when I listen to a beautiful song and realize that someone else has put my deepest thoughts and emotions into words in a better way than I ever could have. Juan Carlos is an artist from Columbia, and his words and drawings captured my feelings even before they developed in my heart or before I could speak them. He expressed them in ways that touched me profoundly and could make me weep with the most innate joy.
The Way provided me with exactly what I needed. These gifts were intentional on behalf of my Creator and reached the hollows of my heart and filled me in ways I had not foreseen. These moments were invaluable and remind me that God has so much more for me. They inspired and blessed me and, at times, gave me the courage to persevere. I am grateful for every one of them. Remembering John 14:6, ” I am the truth, the Way, and the Life” how could The Way have given me anything less?
Tom and Nancy’s Journeys 