Whisperings

a gift left for pilgrims on a simple little seat on the outskirts of Moissac

"Believe in the whisperings of God to your own heart"

~ Mary MacKillop 
as quoted by Bishop John Dew after his return from the Camino

It was a beautiful walk to Moissac, but quite a lot was on hard tarmac, 

and my feet were feeling tender as I reached the outskirts of the city.

Imagine my joy to find a simple little seat under a tree

with a sign that said it was a rest area for pilgrims,

and someone had even left some lollies on the little table. 

I sat down, took off my boots and socks- oh sweet relief-

put some tape on the 'hot spots' on my feet

ate a lolly, and was refreshed

as there were still several kms of city walking before the gîte.

I don't know who set up this simple little rest area

or left the lollies

but the love showed.
It seemed like they had listened to a whisper of God to their heart.
 

 

Reaching out

crops waving in the wind between Montcuq and Lauzerte

"There are things you can't reach
but you can reach out to them
and all day long.
The wind,
the bird flying away.
The idea of God."

~ Mary Oliver

God on the journey

"The feeling remains that God is on the journey too."

~Teresa of Avila

The day I walked to Los Arcos the landscapes were simply stunning, all day

but for some unexplained reason (maybe I was a little dehydrated)

in the latter part of the walk everything seemed too hard

and I had this awful feeling of being lost

that I would never find a village

that I would wander aimlessly here for hours...

But when I reached the village, there was a group of Irishmen 

sitting outside a cafe who asked how I was

and for once I said the truth - that it was hard and I felt lost.

They were my angels- I sat and conversed with them

I had dinner with them and I was 'found' again.

They were all fervent Christians these Irishmen

and it seemed like God knew I needed looking after this day.

This moment

spring leaves, one morning en route for Moissac

"We have only this moment,

sparkling like a star in our hand,

and melting like a snowflake."

~Sir Francis Bacon

One of the 'lessons' for me on the Camino was that you could spend time 
thinking about your sore feet or other body woes 
or you could just accept them, and instead notice 
and be thankful
and there were always so many things to notice and be thankful for
now, in the present moment.