Friday, March 4, 2011

Courage

 Spring appearing on the descent from the Aubrac Plateau

"Courage doesn't always roar. 
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice 
at the end of the day saying, 
"I will try again tomorrow." 

~Mary Anne Radmacher

Occasionally there were 'hard days' on the Camino.
One such day was the first day of crossing the Aubrac Plateau when I got so wet and cold. 
It wasn't the wet and cold that was so hard, it was the fact I was walking alone in those conditions, 
and knew there was a chance of becoming hypothermic, alone. 

So the next morning, I had to 'make myself' walk on.... 
I had to take my own courage by the scruff of the neck 
and walk on for the second day of the Aubrac crossing. 
And at the end of the day as I descended from the Plateau to a lower altitude,
even though I felt exhausted
there was the joy of seeing the world around me
change into early spring...

4 comments:

  1. That's beautiful! And a great reminder that spring really is coming ... though I guess you're heading in the other direction in your part of the world.

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  2. We are indeed. Two mornings ago I felt the first 'autumn' chill that morning brought, though the days have still been pleasantly warm.
    The courage quote also reminds me of friends and family in Christchurch who will have to live with the effects of the earthquake for a long time to come.

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  3. I relished those early days on the Le Puy trail. I think I enjoyed the French section even more than the Spanish one! I traversed that wonderful Aubrac region with a slightly odd but most companionable French guy ... and I remember the cold, and the late autumn frost ...

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  4. I did too Robert- and if I walk from Cluny when I next walk, I wouldn't rule out walking beyond Le Puy and walking again as far as Conques. I know it won't be quite the same, as I won't be a 'newbie'- but I think I will love it just as much.
    I know quite a few of the people I was walking with who found the transition into Spain quite difficult after walking so far in France. Quite different walks in so many ways.

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