Tuesday May 28, 2019

Pontevedra to Combarra, Spain—Day 13; about 23,300 steps

Proverbs 13

v. 4  A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.  The diligent—is that us?  We press our feet to the ground kilometer after kilometer, daily shortening the distance to Santiago.  An Italian lady I met in the Slow City Hostel yesterday had been walking the Caminho Portugués from Lisbon (!) but had decided the Camino was not for her and was going home—just days from Santiago!  How could she not press on with the goal almost in sight?  Maybe she has fulfilled what she was called to do.  But we seek to diligently keep on to the end.  Our desires are now simple:  cool water, some shade, a reasonable place to rest, a hot meal at the end of the day, the wifi password, our feet to stop hurting, the first sight of the cathedral in Santiago.  “The righteous eat to their hearts’ content,” writes Solomon at the end of the chapter (v. 25), and most of the rest of our desires seem close to fulfillment.  Dear Lord, I look to you for my feet to stop hurting!  And thank you that, no matter our earthly desires, in you I will be fully satisfied forever.

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There is no sound privacy in the hostel’s unisex, one toilet stall, one shower stall, two sink bathroom.  Everyone was out early except us and the Koreans.  The world learns English to get along.  It really is an amazing thing.

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Monday May 27, 2019

Pontevedra, Spain—Day 12; 8828 steps

Proverbs 12

v. 14  From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward.  Maurice worked for 48 years, from the time he graduated from high school until he retired in 2014.  He worked steadily and hard in his paid employment, at home and in the community, providing for his family, encouraging others, keeping promises, honoring the Lord.  He still works in retirement.  “Look at your reward,” I said to him tonight.  “A fine family at home, and Galician cooking and vino tinto on a spring evening in Spain, plus you’re walking the Portuguese Camino!”  He looked skeptical at that last part, but he’s still glad he’s hanging out with me.  Thank you, Lord, for Maurice’s decades of hard work and honest words.  Thank you that I can share his reward with him.

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All the pilgrims were out between six and 9:30 except for us.  I lingered over a bowl of some sort of choco-crunchy cereal from our hostess’ breakfast supplies, plus there was Cola Cao and a bowl of oranges.  Little pleasures, but so delightful.  Maurice went out to paint and scour the streets one more time for the lost hearing aid.  While our hostess’ husband Jorge swept, changed sheets and straightened up for the next batch of pilgrims (and refilled the cereal), I sat in our room’s sunlit quiet to write, wait for my hair to dry and for the laundry to finish in the real washing machine.

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