Reluctant pilgrim returns

When I ended my first camino in Leon due to illness in 2022, I came to peace with it and decided it WAS my full camino and I was also certain I was one and done. I told everyone exactly that- I had no need to ever do another camino. Never needed to do THAT again. Except of course, a few months later I felt absolutely pulled by forces beyond my control to book another trip to Spain for the following year. I wasn't exactly happy that I needed to go walk again, but who am I to tell the Camino no? So in 2023 I went back and finished in SDC and it was an amazing, beautiful journey and I was so glad I went back!! But I was done. I had done it! No need to ever do that again. Nothing could ever compare, right?

Well now its been almost a full year since my arrival in Santiago de Compostela so of course what naturally happens? I begin to feel a call again. I thought, okay self, I'll head to one of the shorter routes- perhaps the Portugese? Maybe the end bits of the Norte? I flirted with the winter route. But all the while I kept trying to compare them to the full Frances and finally yesterday I groaned and admitted defeat, and booked my flight to Madrid for next year and conceded I'm doing the Frances- again. Apparently I didn't learn all of the lessons it wanted me to learn?

I truly never imagined I'd be one of those people who went back again and again. When I met pilgrims who'd returned multiple times, I wondered "WHY?!" I also never thought that by walking once, I'd think about this journey So.Danged.Often. But here I am.

See you on the trail in May!