For many people the word pilgrimage brings images of people in religious dress, with hands folded walking solemnly towards a destination. But people undertake pilgrimages all the time although they may not think of it in that way. Some may read or hear about a famous place or person and feel they want to go there. Many people travel to France to visit the beaches of Normandy. Others decide they want to visit all the major league ballparks. Still others walk the Appalachian Trail. We take on the challenges of these journeys because we feel we want go to these places and see them for ourselves. The call is strong enough to move us to action. Walking the Camino de Santiago was one of those journeys, something I had been thinking about for a number of years and something that said now was the time to go.

The word origin of pilgrimage traces its roots back to the words ‘agro’ or “field, country, land”, and ‘peregrin’ or “stranger, foreigner, crusader, pilgrim”. In the middle ages for someone to go beyond their field (agro) or leave their community (land) was fraught with risk. There was danger everywhere, animals, robbers, there was no infrastructure and no resources. Pilgrims had to depend on the kindness of people along the way to provide food and perhaps a place to stay. They had to carry everything they needed and be prepared to protect themselves as there were no police or militia to turn to at the time. It was dangerous, exciting an adventure, yet with all those challenges they left family and friends, sometimes for years, to make the journey.

So in that spirit I’m off. Not quite like the pilgrims of the Middle Ages but still I will be carrying everything I need on my back. I do hope there will be a bed for me at the end of the day. I’m walking with a sense of excitement, thanksgiving and celebration for my life. I’m fortunate to have good health and be able to carve out this time to walk thanks to the help of friends, family and colleagues. And I am excited to use this adventure to try and help others less fortunate. As I have been preparing to go, I have been remembering those people in my life who have been affected by cancer. I was amazed at the number of names I came up with and I have decided that each day I will walk and keep the name of someone on my list in the forefront of my mind. That day to be a day of remembrance for that person or family and what they are going through or have gone through.  

If you would like to help, I have provided a link to the Cancer Research Institute where you can donate. If you would like to add the name of someone you know to my list please contact me through my contact page and I will include them in my walk. Please feel free to share my Blog with others if they may want to help. Thank you.