Showing Love

With friends met on the Camino, in Santiago near the Cathedral 
 

"The only thing we really have to work at in this life

is how to manifest love."

~George Harrison

In this photo are three friends- two from Quebec and one from France.
Met on the Camino, they are jewels in my heart forever.

H/T to Mighty Ambivalent Catholic blog for quote, in a thought-provoking post

reverence

Approaching Gite DuBarry, near Lelin-Lapujolle

"Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, 

in which you can walk with love and reverence."

~ Henry David Thoreau

On this beautiful path....

 en route between Cirauqui and Estella

"The mind can go in a thousand directions, 

but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. 

With each step, the wind blows. 

With each step, a flower blooms."

 ~Thich Nhat Hanh

I loved the beauty in these early days walking in Spain,

with fields so unexpectedly green and 'spring-like'

and medieval villages and bridges

that reminded you that you walked in historic steps.

Medieval pilgrims, ancient Romans and even those from times lost in pre-history

have also walked here.

Cathedral- Le-Puy-en-Velay

Cathedral, Le-Puy-en-Velay

a Marian shrine for centuries

Hail Mary, full of grace

The Lord is with you

Blessed are you among women

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God

Pray for us sinners, now

and at the hour of our death.

Amen

Le-Puy-en-Velay was the jewel of a place I started walking from,

nestled in the hidden Auvergne,

in an old volcanic crater, with two rock 'needles' reaching for the sky.

Before I left home, Fr Chris Skinner told me of its significance in the history of his Marist order.

And though I am long estranged from church

I still sense some of the mystery

that Mary looks out for me like a mother

and I know that I walked all the way to Santiago

under the protection of the blessing given by the Bishop in the Cathedral of Le Puy.

Deo gratias

Hillary Quote

My Quebec friends eating lunch near the high point on the Route Napoleon over the Pyrenees.

 “It’s not the mountain we conquer, 

but ourselves.”

~Sir Edmund Hillary

We had looked at the altitude charts for weeks,

fearing the day we had to ascend the pass over the Pyrenees. 

In the event, we found it was 'not so hard'.

The weather was kind the day we crossed

not too hot or cold, and just a little cloudy near the top.

And we found that our weeks of walking in France had prepared our bodies well.

The crossing- which we split into two with a night in Orisson-

became an event of great joy!