And, You Will be Blessed

According to our ten-mile-a-day schedule, Golinac would be our next destination. As we planned these days, we had it calculated that we would be in Conques soon and have a two-day rest before heading to Cahoors, which was our goal for this trip. We had heard that Conques was a must, its beauty and charm almost indescribable. The quaint cobblestone streets, the picturesque medieval buildings, and the serene Abbey Church of Saint Foy were just a few of the many things we looked forward to experiencing during our time here. And, a few days with no other plans than just being with each other sounded perfect.

But we could not find lodging in Golinac for the night, so we altered our route and went to Campuac. Justine and Jennifer had been there a few nights earlier, and our friend Axel had been there just the night before. I spoke with Yvann and he had a room for us!

I had just begun to relax and embrace the beauty of our walkabout when we got a call from Tom’s family. His younger brother Bob who had long struggled with health issues was now going into hospice. His family was encouraged to come and visit him soon. I did not want to leave, and yet I knew we could not stay.

The trail that day was not just lovely; it was exquisite. The beauty of nature’s artistry was a serene backdrop to my inner turmoil and a soothing balm to my heart and soul. I am thankful that I could walk and pray through the day to process my grief over Bob’s situation, the change in our sabbatical, and the logistics of getting to Oregon to see Bob soon. We were in some isolated areas, surrounded by nothing but the whispering wind and the rustling leaves, and had not seen anyone but fellow walkers for days.

After some calculations, we figured it would take a couple of days to get to where we could begin the process home. A couple of bus rides, a taxi ride, a plane ride, a car rental, and two more flights over four days, and we could be in Oregon.

I was starting to relinquish my task-orientated lifestyle when this came up. How quickly I could have reverted to planning and organizing everything, but I did not. I shared the burden with Tom and knew that this choice helped me come to peace with these changes.

I decided to spend these last few days on the trail, being open to all that was around me instead of focusing on what I would be missing. What a blessing this was.

We had an incredibly rare moment when most of our walking friends were on the trail together. We stopped to watch it rain over a beautiful pasture. We watched the miracle of life as a new calf was born just when the rain let up.

We had a beautiful picnic lunch one afternoon, and I was overwhelmed by the realization of where we were and what we were doing. The beauty of the French countryside was a sight to behold, and I was filled with intense gratitude that I could just be walking in such a picturesque setting.

In the middle of nowhere, we found a beautiful old scale, and all the pilgrims, present company excluded, were weighing themselves. It was so fun to watch the men trying to find ways to increase their weight and all the women looking to decrease their weight.

One rainy day, we found a treasure in the middle of nowhere and enjoyed a candlelight lunch and a digestive made with local ingredients. It was fabulous and such a treat.

When we finally arrived in Campuac, the Gite was closed. They typically open around 3:00, so we sat outside with a group of French men and indulged in small talk. Suddenly, the door opened, and a slightly disheveled man appeared. “Are you Nancy?”, he asked me. I answered that I was, and he called me forward. Everyone else was excited to go in, but he abruptly halted them and allowed only me in. He handed me a letter from Jennifer and Justine, our dear friends who had stayed here before us. The letter was filled with warm wishes and kind words, a reminder that we were not alone on our journey. Their kind words touched me immensely.

Yvann cooked us a lovely dinner, and I realized he was alone here. He cooked, cleaned, and handled all the bookings and pilgrims. He was weary. He let me help him, for which I was grateful to ease his burden. He also let me speak a few words at dinner, and we all thanked him. It brought me such joy to bring him joy.

By the time we were nearing Conques, I was filled with peace. I was open to the beauty of where I was each moment and did not fret over what was ahead.

Even though things did not turn out as I had planned, I received many unexpected kindnesses and blessings. I felt deeply grateful for my time with Tom on the trail and encouraged as we made plans to return.

You are loved.