Good Friday is NEXT FRIDAY
Rest Day. Out of absolute necessity we are taking a day of rest. Two massive climbs yesterday 5500 meters and 3000 meters. We stared in the dark and we ended in the dark. It was inconceivable.
3 days out, new shoes, little sleep, jet lag and we still decided to “go for it!” I’m glad we did. When we arrived at the Albergues late in the evening the gentlemen who checked us in said, “the guidebooks say about 30 KM but it is more -I’ve done it twice without a pack and that was enough for my life.” Yeah, I agree in one sense. The up and down over the rocks is very hard. Miles of that is incredible. At points it was so steep I had to go backwards with this particular knee problem. If I could lose some pack weight that would be great but I don’t see that as feasible.
A bunch of other Pilgrims have told us that the Camino de Francis is much easier than this, yet I’m glad we chose this route. Every Veteran of the military knows that there is an easier life out there yet they were drawn to the military. Maybe it is disposition or economics or maybe it is simply a calling. For me it was a calling.
From the time I was a child I was drawn to adventure. I was fascinated by the people who took risks. I was intrigued by women and men who went to war and fought for what they believed.
“Willing to die” is an overrated saying. Everyone is going to so being willing to is a moot point. I never met one healthy person who wanted to die now. Not one. Yet every healthy person knows that death is coming.
Is war healthy people killing other healthy people? If you don’t mind I’m going to take it a step further, just as yesterday I knew we had to keep going, one more step. After war everyone is not as they had been. Even the act of training for war takes something out of you. Is it innocents lost? Or in a sense lost?
Why can’t we all decide to love one another? Kindness is a miracle in this life. Compassion is an art form. The word Love has Hollywood distortion written all over it. So many people are hurting that there are many efforts to regulate our reality into some type of utopia. Often this results in war.
I had a conversation yesterday with an artist from the Ukraine. He told me about the struggles going on here in Spain and how they are similar to the struggles that took place in the Soviet Union before it broke up. He said that there is an effort here to make Spain disappear into several separate states.
So, when you see all these beautiful pictures we are posting. Think there is also great struggle and discontent here too. Pray for Spain. Pray for the US. Pray for us all. It is Good Friday.
Good because Christ rose from the dead. Good because Christ has empowered us to love one another. Good because love and kindness and compassion do not need to be regulated. We have all been empowered through Christ to do love, kindness and compassion. By example Christ never regulated anything. He (God and Man) respected man’s choice, even to the point when they decided, “Crucify Him!”
Today Terry and I rest. We are a bit worn out. My first day in several without a Morning Headache. I slept pretty good last night. So thankful to have made it through the first stage. Many more to come.
The unknown lurks ahead. Times have always been “trying and uncertain.” No one knows the future. Rumors and discontent have always existed.
If you are a Veteran of war, service or life join me. Today we focus on Christ. Ever say “Good morning?” Well you Can because it is good. Christ went to the cross, suffered and died and rose from the dead. It’s Good Friday for us because He suffered and died for us.
I’m reminding my weary body. I’m reminding my mind. The sufferings of this present time are nothing compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us (scripture). His glory revealed in us!
