The Way of St. James

The symbol of the Way of St. James

At the heart of the Camino de Santiago or Way of St. James lies a 1,000-year-old Christian pilgrimage.  The legend that has for all this time sparked spiritual gypsies to strap on their hiking boots (or papyrus sandals?) is that the remains of St. James' were taken by boat from Jerusalem to the city of Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain where he was laid to rest.  At the church in this town where his remains are said to be buried my mom and I will lay our hiking poles down.

Now, I have to admit I'm more like a college freshman when it comes to religion - still unsure of which major to claim and a bit inclined to dropout altogether and backpack around South America for a year.  If anything, I would label myself a Naturist.  Wait.  According to Wikipedia a Naturist is someone who advocates nudity in private and public sectors.  Okay, not a Naturist.  Definitely not a Naturist.  A Pantheist, maybe.  Yes, that feels about right.  Nature is where I find myself most connected to something more magnificent than daily life, filling me with an equal measure of awe and fear.  So for me, the Camino is not about making a religious quest.  It's about adventure, meeting people, challenging myself, soaking in culture, spending time with my mom and embarking on a life changing adventure (not to mention gathering invaluable fodder for my writing.)

My mother, however, is Catholic.  The spiritual meaning of this journey is great for her, and I respect and admire her beliefs, as I do any of the myriad of reasons people have for stepping onto the Camino.  She also has a big brain and a huge heart, so I imagine any prayer she offers up must have some real projection power up to the big kahuna.  That is why when she sent an email to friends offering to say prayers for them during her walk, I thought it might be nice to extend that same offer to the other readers of this blog.  I, myself, in my own meager way have offered to dedicate each day to a follower of the blog, using that person as inspiration to keep trucking, while sending positive vibes their way from overseas.  So, if you have a special prayer you'd like my mom to meditate on or would like me to dedicate a day in your name as we walk the same steps of millions of pilgrims before us, please let us know.  I realize this is a private matter, so if you don't want to comment here on this blog please feel free to email me at tesssebast@gmail.com or hit me up on Facebook.