This morning I left from Acebo to Ponferrada. It has been raining, there is distant thunder, and generally gloomy yet lovely. There was even a rainbow in the sky as I was leaving town.
On one of the rocky, steep, downward rocky paths that was fill with rushing water, I slipped, turned my knee very badly, and crashed into the rocks. Standing up was almost impossible. I tried a step, the leg simply gave out, and I crashed again. I have never had any type of physical injury, problem, etc., so this added to the real fear. Believe it or not, I tried one more time to at least back my way down only to have my leg give out.
Then along came amazing people. Vincent and his wife are from Spain. They would not leave me. First, they gave me a pole to see if that would help and it seemed to. I begged them to go on, I would be fine. They did ... but then came back. Vincent said he simply was not going to go until he was sure I was safe at the bottom. As we inched our way, Jose and Roseanne from New Jersey came along. They, too, were not going to leave me until I could get to a place for a taxi.
This is already getting long so I apologize but man oh man. I am a caregiver by profession yet have never cared so much or went to such lengths to help a stranger ... in the rain, on a rocky hill. Jose even made sure I had money for the taxi. I couldn't help but cry once I was on my way into Ponferrada and the hospital. Which, by the way, examines peregrinos free of charge. More kindness.
I did not get anyone's contact information nor did they get mind, sadly. So please, if you are Vincent or Jose or Roseanne or meet them along the Camino, please tell them I would love to connect with them. Thank you, too, for your kindness in reading this very long post! I really needed to be knocked on my ass in order to be fully humbled by all that is the Camino, the people of Spain, and the kind walkers along the way.
On one of the rocky, steep, downward rocky paths that was fill with rushing water, I slipped, turned my knee very badly, and crashed into the rocks. Standing up was almost impossible. I tried a step, the leg simply gave out, and I crashed again. I have never had any type of physical injury, problem, etc., so this added to the real fear. Believe it or not, I tried one more time to at least back my way down only to have my leg give out.
Then along came amazing people. Vincent and his wife are from Spain. They would not leave me. First, they gave me a pole to see if that would help and it seemed to. I begged them to go on, I would be fine. They did ... but then came back. Vincent said he simply was not going to go until he was sure I was safe at the bottom. As we inched our way, Jose and Roseanne from New Jersey came along. They, too, were not going to leave me until I could get to a place for a taxi.
This is already getting long so I apologize but man oh man. I am a caregiver by profession yet have never cared so much or went to such lengths to help a stranger ... in the rain, on a rocky hill. Jose even made sure I had money for the taxi. I couldn't help but cry once I was on my way into Ponferrada and the hospital. Which, by the way, examines peregrinos free of charge. More kindness.
I did not get anyone's contact information nor did they get mind, sadly. So please, if you are Vincent or Jose or Roseanne or meet them along the Camino, please tell them I would love to connect with them. Thank you, too, for your kindness in reading this very long post! I really needed to be knocked on my ass in order to be fully humbled by all that is the Camino, the people of Spain, and the kind walkers along the way.