Shared stories from the Camino

[TriciaH]

Pilgrims frequently share their stories walking along the Camino. Do you have a favorite story that another pilgrim shared with you? I’d like to hear it! I have one I’ll share once I’ve heard from a few of you.

 

[SabsP]

Pilgrims frequently share their stories walking along the Camino. Do you have a favorite story that another pilgrim shared with you? I’d like to hear it! I have one I’ll share once I’ve heard from a few of you.

Fellow pilgrims shared their stories with me, like I sometimes shared mine with them.
These precious moments were meant to be kept private.
I would never think of sharing them here on a public forum like I hope my fellow pilgrims would not do with my stories.
As long as I do not get their explicite permission I would not share with third parties.
But hey, that is just me.
Good luck!

 

[C clearly]

We have many many shared stories here. Some of the good ones are the Tales from the Camino.

Maybe you need to share yours first, so we have an idea of what you are thinking about .

 

[dougfitz]

Pilgrims frequently share their stories walking along the Camino. Do you have a favorite story that another pilgrim shared with you? I’d like to hear it! I have one I’ll share once I’ve heard from a few of you.

The Camino might not be the confessional, and we might not be bound by the same formal obligations that the clergy are in that context, but this is one of those times where what is said on the Camino, stays on the Camino. I think it would be completely inappropriate to share another pilgrim's story in anything but the most general way that preserves their privacy and anonymity.

I've had it done to me when what I thought was private information was shared with another, and I can tell you that it was one of the most distressing and disappointing things to happen on that Camino.

 

[TriciaH]

Sitting at dinner with a couple who live in Sweden, both in their late sixties, he’d been born and raised in France and she in Sweden. I asked how they met. He asked me if I knew what a pen pal was. I said I did. He explained that he and his wife had been pen pals with another girl when they were all teenagers. When the other girl was getting married the bride- to-be invited the girl but not the guy. “I showed up anyway,” he said with a smile. His now wife was there dressed in traditional Swedish costume. He fell hard and fast. The couple have 3 children and many grandchildren and have been married almost 50 years.
The bride’s marriage didn’t last. She said,”the best thing to come out of my marriage was yours.”
Every time I think of this story I smile.

 

[mspath]

On the camino sometimes the greatest
helpfulness may be unspoken.

March 2009 during a rainstorm a Spanish pilgrim and I left Hospital de Orbigo to walk the alternative CF route towards Astorga. Between Santibáñez de Valdeiglesias and San Justo de la Vega we lost our bearings within a dense wood.

Soaked and perplexed we tried to backtrack; suddenly a small dog appeared amidst the vegetation. Sniffing our boots the dog moved "ahead" silently waiting for us to follow. Trotting by our sides the dog led us several kms through mazelike holm oak towards this wide path which we three followed.



When the towers of Astorga cathedral could be glimpsed, the dog ambled off, his task complete. We two pilgrims continued into the city extremely grateful for the special skills of our persistent silent four legged guide.

 

[lovelyshell]

When I did the CF I met a woman at Orrison who asked me my story, why was I doing the Camino. I had noticed she bounced around between people before coming to me. She told me she was collecting stories to write a book. I found that very inauthentic and downright invasive. I refused to tell her my story obviously. I felt people only deserved to hear my story if I actually walked with them significantly and felt absolutely comfortable with them.

One story I have from the Camino that I can share here is when no words were exchanged at all. There was a man taking a vow of silence on the Camino. I met him earlier in the day at Foncebadon and then again at Cruz Ferro. It was raining and it was just him and I so we both sat under the shelter. I was crying after leaving my rock which represented a significant burden in my life. As I sat there with the silent man we stared at each other and it brought me more comfort in that moment than any words could have, had he been able speak to me. We shared some chocolate and went on our separate ways.

 

[TriciaH]

When I did the CF I met a woman at Orrison who asked me my story, why was I doing the Camino. I had noticed she bounced around between people before coming to me. She told me she was collecting stories to write a book. I found that very inauthentic and downright invasive. I refused to tell her my story obviously. I felt people only deserved to hear my story if I actually walked with them significantly and felt absolutely comfortable with them.

One story I have from the Camino that I can share here is when no words were exchanged at all. There was a man taking a vow of silence on the Camino. I met him earlier in the day at Foncebadon and then again at Cruz Ferro. It was raining and it was just him and I so we both sat under the shelter. I was crying after leaving my rock which represented a significant burden in my life. As I sat there with the silent man we stared at each other and it brought me more comfort in that moment than any words could have, had he been able speak to me. We shared some chocolate and went on our separate ways.

Thank you!