A year ago today was the beginning of me getting reacquainted with myself. I have learned so many new things about myself the past few years and that's been great, but in the midst of that I somehow forgot things that I already knew to be true. I had forgotten how much I love being in other countries, particularly in western Europe. I had forgotten how much joy it brings me to hear other languages being spoken. No matter if I understand what's being said, sometimes it's better to just sit back and enjoy the symphony of new and unfamiliar sounds. I had forgotten how goal-oriented I am, and didn't realize how not having goals was slowly and silently killing my spirit. All I needed was the simple goal of getting to Santiago to remind me how driven I can be. The goal was to get to Santiago, and by golly, I was going to get there. No amount of lost toenails or ankles the size of a grapefruit was going to stop me. I think I surprised my fellow pilgrims with my resilience and, if I'm honest, I kinda surprised myself too.
A year ago today, I set out on a life-changing journey. It sounds cliche, but it's true. The Camino helped me realize that while I had come to love my home in Charlottesville, my soul longed to be in California. The Camino was the stepping stone into pursuing a career in ESL. Essentially, the Camino changed where I live and what I do with my 9 to 5. Would I have discovered these things, would I have made the same life changes if I hadn't walked the Camino? I really don't know the answer to that question, but I really don't need to know. All I know is that I'm doing my best to follow my yellow arrows. Sure, I'm going to stumble along the way, and I'm sure I've already missed a few turns here and there. But as long as I keep putting one foot in front of the other, and as long as I have others walking alongside me, I think I'll be alright.
