What do you talk about..or not on your Camino?

[William Garza]

When among the other fellow travelers, what do you say?
Are you..like me, a person who knows no strangers,and can strike up a coversation with anyone?
Or do you wait quietly,listening.

I am isatiable in my appetite for others views on morals,ethics and points of view..ohh dinna get me wrong,i will change tack if someone gets uncomfortable..i just want to hear the motivations that make a person..them.

What makes your social clock go tickety?
The inmost windings of a persons heart can be found in the time and exhaustion wearing on people.
There are so many wise souls out there and so little time to plumb the depths..
Which kind of sets me apart..litteraly, i like examining the depths and,breadth of our/my existence and it kind of or will make oth others uncomfortable in what is familar territory for me..
May be i will be silent...
What do you do with the hours in your mind on te road?

 

[mspath]

...
What do you do with the hours in your mind on the road?

Although in late autumn/winter I generally walk alone I am rarely ever lonely. Much time is spent randomly thinking; sometimes very practical thoughts such as 'must be on guard for rough roots crossing this section' and sometimes quite philosophic such as 'might I always remember the splendor of this sunrise'. Of course, it is always a pleasure to greet others either saying buen camino to fellow walkers or waving to distant farmers readying their fields for winter. These may be simple gestures but shared they help make us human.

Trudging along the actual topography and weather always dominated my immediate reactions. Was the Camino going uphill or steeply down? Crossing water? How thick was the mud? Could I see through the rain? What was the weather forecast? When might I sit? Nevertheless I still try to take it as it comes enjoying the good and bearing the bad. After all this is life. Thankful at the end of each day for simple shelter, a bed (preferably a bottom bunk for me), working toilet, hot shower, something to eat and if possible good companionship.

Pleasant chance encounters and instant friendships are part of the Camino's serendipity! Pilgrims share journeys, hopes and fears. We may stop at the same bar for a coffee and sleep in the same co-ed dorm but in no sense do we move as a single force! Each of us creates a particular pattern moving along. Thus the Camino is composed of all these pilgrims' patterns; the multitude of these individual units together form a whole. Carpe diem!

 

[William Garza]

But..
There is so much! to life
And so much to see,to do,to..be.
Thank you for giving me a slice of your vision and experience.
Its not easy..as a friend of mine would,say

 

[VNwalking]

The same sort of thing we talk about here!
At first it always seems to be functional things first: feet, aches and pains, weather, where to today, where'd you stay last night, how are the showers here?; then came food, the passing scenery, derogatory comments about the hill we happen to be climbing or going down etc etc...the grist of most encounters, at least at first.
Once those topics get exhausted, conversations could go almost anywhere...to depths, or not.
I often met a young Brazilian guy, and his probing questions always surprised and delighted me--they went for the assumptions of life with a keen knife. Disconcerting at first, but he always cut to the chase...what are we doing and why...

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

One evening on the Camino Portugues I found myself in an albergue with 5 Dutch people. I was the only Australian. I was suddenly the target of an attack on Tony Abbot's "stop the boats" policy. I was amazed at the strength of opinion on this topic. I was completely dismayed at the anti-Australian feeling displayed in the discussion.

 

[dougfitz]

I am isatiable in my appetite for others views on morals,ethics and points of view..ohh dinna get me wrong,i will change tack if someone gets uncomfortable..i just want to hear the motivations that make a person..them.

I am not a believer in 'instant friendships' on pilgrimage or anywhere else. I think I might find your self stated insatiable appetite incompatible with my views on polite social discourse amongst strangers. You won't need to change tack. I think the mere whiff of the sort of inquisition implied by your post will make sure that I don't get anywhere near you.

 

[LauraK]

One evening on the Camino Portugues I found myself in an albergue with 5 Dutch people. I was the only Australian. I was suddenly the target of an attack on Tony Abbot's "stop the boats" policy. I was amazed at the strength of opinion on this topic. I was completely dismayed at the anti-Australian feeling displayed in the discussion.

I know what you mean...I once walked during the US presidential election and wanted to find a Canadian flag to stick on my backpack! because of all the freely offered derogatory comments about one of the candidates and the U.S. I never responded or engaged in conversation about politics because I really didn't care...I was on my pilgrimage. Didn't stop some people. But it is one of the things I love about travel...it puts everything in a world view and gives you a more realistic perspective.

 

[MichaelB10398]

Hello William,
I appreciate your post and your enthusiasm for getting to know people and having deep conversations. I also expect that you are adept at detecting whether another individual is open or ready to have such a deep conversation.

The Camino does open pilgrims up to the more meaty caliber of conversations and topics. However, I do think there is a way of being that allows oneself to enjoy what the Camino offers and brings to us. A more efficient path to take is to allow others to open themselves up to you rather than have you pursue them. It may be that on your Camino few open themselves up to such meaningful interactions, but the Camino is a wise mother and she provides as we need - not as we want.

Thank you again for your enthusiasm and joie de vivre; we can all learn from that.

May the Way always be the path we seek,

 

[CaminoDebrita]

We all gauge what we say to the audience at hand. Dialogue is a mutual experience, and if someone doesn't want to engage, don't take it personally and walk on. Just like here in the forum.

 

[Angelo]

I share the sentiments of the few here. Being an introvert, I prefer to stay quiet when in company of strangers and will only open up when I hear sincerity. Probing questions and senseless chatter from someone I don't know from Adam will be answered with a smile, not a word. I might say Buen Camino and Hola to fellow pilgrims but I don't believe in instant friendships.

 

[William Garza]

Three things i wont discuss
Politics
Religion
Women.
Toooo personal and closely held to the heart.
But of the human spirit,of what makes a person persevere..that i am willing to hear.
Thank you guys for the candid and honest views!

 

[William Garza]

I am not a believer in 'instant friendships' on pilgrimage or anywhere else. I think I might find your self stated insatiable appetite incompatible with my views on polite social discourse amongst strangers. You won't need to change tack. I think the mere whiff of the sort of inquisition implied by your post will make sure that I don't get anywhere near you.

Believe it or not i dont take too many people to heart,ive no strangers in my view..but a few closely cherished friends..
I have been held a mirror and see how odd it would be with all the questions!

 

[hecate105]

I would love to meet you! - I enjoy in-depth conversations with people - even if you may never meet again. In fact some of the most memorable conversations I have had have been ships that pass in the night...
I took a Devon flag on pilgrimage as I did not want to carry a union jack (ugh!!) and then collected the flags of countries I walked thru (swapping the Spanish flag for the Basque one in that 'territory' made us very popular...! Despite no UK flagI was more than happy to discuss the horrible/evil/wrong things my country has done as well as the good things it sometimes does... We seem to tar each other with the same brush - do we really hold an individual responsible for the actions of their country - or indeed religion? Far better we talk and discuss, argue and debate - and try to see each others point of view. And if some wish to keep quiet - that's fine too (they probably should be in politics...!)

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Believe it or not i dont take too many people to heart,ive no strangers in my view..but a few closely cherished friends..
I have been held a mirror and see how odd it would be with all the questions!

I never perceived you as an inquisitor, and this is a social forum, so I think it's fine that you are being "social" and throwing out a conversation-starter. Anyone who objects to anything on a social forum could courteously walk on (or scroll on). You're fine.

 

[JudyInTexas]

Hi William. I agree with Doug. I'll be looking for 5 weeks of quiet introspection and general light conversation with the others I meet along the way. I plan to walk right before the next US presidential election. I may have to consider Laura's idea of putting a Canadian flag on my pack. I'm sure you will find plenty of others with which to share opinions, though. As one of the local radio stations would say... Such conversations would soon give me "tired head"!

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Hi William. I agree with Doug. I'll be looking for 5 weeks of quiet introspection and general light conversation with the others I meet along the way. I plan to walk right before the next US presidential election. I may have to consider Laura's idea of putting a Canadian flag on my pack. I'm sure you will find plenty of others with which to share opinions, though. As one of the local radio stations would say... Such conversations would soon give me "tired head"!

No election talk. No politics. No sex. No inane small talk---unless it suits!

I'm a gregarious introvert, until I have two glasses of wine, in which case I become a gregarious musical, dancing extrovert

 

[Angelo]

Judy, how about the flag of Texas instead? It looks nice and would make a good conversation starter.
A month ago, I happened to walk past a dozen or so pilgrims on the CP with big flags on their backpacks. Curious, I asked what country they were from. Aland Islands, I was told, is an autonomous part of Finland but they were monolingually Swedish-speaking. What followed was an interesting lesson in Geography and good company for a good hour for me.
Cheers!

 

[pilgrim b]

Hi William , I'm in Arzua today after many km from Pomferrada, and had my first deep conversation with another person other than perigrina b my wife. That was with another Forum member , and yes it was so refreshing to discuss just a few simple words with each other on what we discoverd on our Camino' s , would love to chat more later about where we found home!! But on camino now.

 

[Angelo]

Hi Camino Deb, just wondering what you'll be when you (happen to) finish a bottle of Tinto that goes with your Menu del Dia/Peregrino in September?

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Hi Camino Deb, just wondering what you'll be when you (happen to) finish a bottle of Tinto that goes with your Menu del Dia/Peregrino in September?

Trying not to annoy the introverts, ha ha! (seriously)...

 

[Angelo]

 

[mikevasey]

Its trying to find a balance, I feel talking while walking takes me out of a special place which arises but also if I try to be protective of that space its very easy to fall in to selfishness and create all kinds of negative emotions. So I aim for a balance and sometimes the words that are spoken aren't about about an interesting subject or a viewpoint but harmonies, the growing of friendship, laughter, romance, whatever needs those subtle energies and the words are a mask.

 

[JudyInTexas]

Judy, how about the flag of Texas instead? It looks nice and would make a good conversation starter...

I read on another thread here that identifying oneself as being from the US can be enough to start conversations that I hope to stay away from. I'm not a good debater and when a person is passionate about their stand, I prefer not to make a fool of myself, especially after a few "vasos de vino tinto". Nice quiet conversations along the way will be lovely. I can talk sports! Maybe someone can teach me about football (not the US kind).

 

[VNwalking]

I have to say my first reaction--that I didn't write then--was "As little as possible!"
Now I see I'm not the only introvert. It's good to be in your company, relatively quietly. Letting other people do the talking. Thanks everyone.

 

[m108]

I am very much quiet - enjoy the fullness of the moment. The conversation usually replaced a moment with past / future (what was, what will happen ....). Most of the time I do not think anything special, just enjoy it. This is in a way my Zen practice, just not sitting (zazen), but walking. I`m not against a brief exchange of impressions, but really not very extensive. When an experience is very full and very fresh, sometimes part of the beauty is lost when you try to put through the mouth of yourself
especially my precious is quiet morning - that I feel the day

 

[CaminoDebrita]

I have to say my first reaction--that I didn't write then--was "As little as possible!"
Now I see I'm not the only introvert. It's good to be in your company, relatively quietly. Letting other people do the talking. Thanks everyone.

That's my walking aspect. I am a loner by nature.

 

[when night falls]

At least two spontaneous responses crosses my mind when I saw this topic:
The very purpose for my pilgrimage on the Camino Frances is to seek solitude and quiet, as opposed to my regular everyday life which is a constant buzz of activities, musts and appointments.
Then again, I'm always interested in meeting and getting to know new people, especially when I sense that the casual talk has substance.

The second thing is my rather poor command of spoken English which sometimes makes it difficult to keep up the speed of the conversation and this results in that I sometimes remain silent and thus comes across as withdrawn and silent on the verge of being rude. Unfortunately.

 

[Coleen Clark]

See that goofy smile on my photo? THAT"S what you'll get if you use "probing" questions on me. Heck, I don't even let my trusted family Doctor probe...without a glass of wine first. You will find willing pilgrims as subjects for your deep thoughts and ideas, and some wallflowers like me who will sit back and watch the exchange as I write postcards to the grandkids and friends back home, sipping on a café or vino. I will listen to your story if you feel like telling it, and relate parts of mine I feel will be appropriate. But don't tell me too much, or you will find yourself portrayed in my next story...

 

[Dave2525]

I'm pretty quiet to begin with so talking with strangers would be fairly superficial stuff. As often happens, a walking group just kind of formed and as we spent more time together the conversations grew and pretty much any topic was on the table

 

[november_moon]

We are going back to continue our Camino next year and thanks to this thread, I have just realized it will be an election year. Coleen Clark - I hope you don't mind if I adopt your "goofy" smile when the inevitable election conversations come up I generally don't talk politics or religion with people until I get to know them, and maybe not even then.

 

[Coleen Clark]

We are going back to continue our Camino next year and thanks to this thread, I have just realized it will be an election year. Coleen Clark - I hope you don't mind if I adopt your "goofy" smile when the inevitable election conversations come up I generally don't talk politics or religion with people until I get to know them, and maybe not even then.

Go for it girl, although I have had many many moons to perfect my goofy. My little sister called that look my "Really?" look, where she'd say something completely inane and I would just smile. I miss my little sister.

 

[JudyInTexas]

...The second thing is my rather poor command of spoken English which sometimes makes it difficult to keep up the speed of the conversation and this results in that I sometimes remain silent and thus comes across as withdrawn and silent on the verge of being rude. Unfortunately.

You may not be confident with your spoken English; but, your written English is perfect. It would be fun to practice my Spanish while walking (I'm half way through Duolingo) and also help others with their English.

 

[RobertS26]

One evening on the Camino Portugues I found myself in an albergue with 5 Dutch people. I was the only Australian. I was suddenly the target of an attack on Tony Abbot's "stop the boats" policy. I was amazed at the strength of opinion on this topic. I was completely dismayed at the anti-Australian feeling displayed in the discussion.

I firmly believe that one should NEVER talk about politics or religion unless you absolutely know the other party is receptive to those topics. As an American I have grown weary of hearing about what a crappy country I come from. I get it. We have too many guns. We eat too much at McDonalds. We start too many wars. We consume too much energy. But you know what? I'm not in charge of the United States. Could we just have a pleasant conversation about anything but politics and religion?

 

[CaminoDebrita]

I firmly believe that one should NEVER talk about politics or religion unless you absolutely know the other party is receptive to those topics. As an American I have grown weary of hearing about what a crappy country I come from. I get it. We have too many guns. We eat too much at McDonalds. We start too many wars. We consume too much energy. But you know what? I'm not in charge of the United States. Could we just have a pleasant conversation about anything but politics and religion?

Hear, hear.

Really, aren't you responsible for everything in the USA?

And how about hearing about how loud and pushy Americans are by loud and pushy people? I will be quietly smiling the Mona Lisa smile and walking on.

 

[izzybella9]

We are going back to continue our Camino next year and thanks to this thread, I have just realized it will be an election year. Coleen Clark - I hope you don't mind if I adopt your "goofy" smile when the inevitable election conversations come up I generally don't talk politics or religion with people until I get to know them, and maybe not even then.

Yikes, I didn't think about the fact that I will be doing my camino in the two months right before the election. This will be interesting. Sign me up for the "goofy" smile brigade

 

[Icacos]

Thank you, Forum members. From now on I will try to employ a 'goofy' smile at such times as are being discussed here. Far more pleasant than my bestowing on persons what my kids refer to as 'the hairy eyeball.'

 

[Icacos]

.......they would sit around a table in the evening and talk but no one was allowed to say what their profession or status was.

I think this is more good manners than anything else. How tiresome and crass it would be if everyone listed his credentials; it would be nothing more than a round of one-up manship. My guess is that this is so rare, I find it strange that it was even mentioned.

 

[Icacos]

Really? Of the chance encounters I had so far, I learnt very quickly what their jobs were or had been. "So what do you do in life?" seems to be very much part of small talk, on and off the Camino.

Aaah, you said "no one was allowed to say what their profession or status was." I inferred from that that this information was not to be volunteered, and the fact that it was even mentioned I thought was strange because, in the normal course of events, it's not information that is usually offered up unless it is pertinent to the matter being discussed. If someone, during the course of conversation is asked "So what do you do in life?" Well, that is another matter. Perhaps what you might have said in your post was that no one was allowed to ask another what his profession or status was.

 

[Angelo]

It all depends what type of people happen to be in the group. There are some who tend to ask you personal questions within a few minutes of the usual greeting (Hola and or Buen Camino) whilst others are more respectful and tend not to ask about things you wouldn't tell an acquaintance.
When I was asked once by a "loud" pilgrim who crassly invaded my space in a cafe/bar in Zubiri "So what do you do in your life outside this Camino?", I just smiled wryly at him, sipped on my cafe solo and started to write on my journal. He then set off to another table to bother other pilgrims without success.

 

[Coleen Clark]

Yikes, I didn't think about the fact that I will be doing my camino in the two months right before the election. This will be interesting. Sign me up for the "goofy" smile brigade

Izzybella9 here's your hat. Please stay in step, smile, and have fun. We walk in joy, open to what the Camino teaches us. If it is tolerance of probing questions, we learn. If it is 20 km is too much for us or 3 glasses of vino is over our limit, we learn. But we never lose our joy or goofiness. At ease, soldier!

 

[Icacos]

It all depends what type of people happen to be in the group. There are some who tend to ask you personal questions within a few minutes of the usual greeting (Hola and or Buen Camino) whilst others are more respectful and tend not to ask about things you wouldn't tell an acquaintance.

Agreed. I think the same goes for volunteering information. My hackles still rise when I recall having a chance, very short, conversation with someone. His very first words were to tell me how he used to make his money, how he currently made his money and the level of education each of his children had achieved.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Agreed. I think the same goes for volunteering information. My hackles still rise when I recall having a chance, very short, conversation with someone. His very first words were to tell me how he used to make his money, how he currently made his money and the level of education each of his children had achieved.

I think that some people lack social skills in an "open" situation. Many of them hang their hats on their achievements. It's too bad, but it's like this forum. People are interesting creatures, some more so than others

 

[november_moon]

I have a vision of all the Americans on the Camino next year walking along with these goofy grins on our faces

 

[JudyInTexas]

Probably more like a "Hairy eyeball" that Icacos mentioned for me. (Although I could buy an actual Goofy hat and wear it when it's cool. That would be fun!)

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Probably more like a "Hairy eyeball" that Icacos mentioned for me. (Although I could buy an actual Goofy hat and wear it when it's cool. That would be fun!)

Judy, I love that big chair you're sitting in

 

[Coleen Clark]

Probably more like a "Hairy eyeball" that Icacos mentioned for me. (Although I could buy an actual Goofy hat and wear it when it's cool. That would be fun!)

Dare! Double Dog Dare! I cannot wait to start my Camino! August here I come!

 

[LauraK]

Dare! Double Dog Dare! I cannot wait to start my Camino! August here I come!

Love your sense of humor!

 

[dougfitz]

I think that some people lack social skills in an "open" situation.

Perhaps. And perhaps some of us don't like nosy busybodies, or people that look and act like them. It seems to me that the people who are lacking the social skills are the ones that probe and pry when that is unwelcome. It is popular to talk about empathy quotients - these people don't rate well in my book - perhaps not a big zero, but certainly not on the high side!

 

[izzybella9]

View attachment 18996Izzybella9 here's your hat. Please stay in step, smile, and have fun. We walk in joy, open to what the Camino teaches us. If it is tolerance of probing questions, we learn. If it is 20 km is too much for us or 3 glasses of vino is over our limit, we learn. But we never lose our joy or goofiness. At ease, soldier!

Glad to be onboard

 

[JudyInTexas]

At work we had to take a 500 question survey and each person's propensities were presented in a four quadrant graph. Each quadrant was assigned a color and most people have some color in each section - some sections more than others.

The person who is primarily Red is only interested in the end result - they can't be bothered with the details. As a manager, they only want to know that you completed the task successfully. Don't try to share how you did it. If this person is walking the Camino, they probably made no lists, waited till the last minute to pack and forgot items. They probably can't be bother making reservations.

The person who is primarily Yellow loves to interact with others. They want everyone to be part of the group. They are probably the person who is the center of the evening meals making sure everyone has food, wine, etc. I bet William is primarily yellow.

The person who is primarily Green is detail oriented. They LOVE lists. I bet the green person who is planning their Camino posts their pack list here months in advance. They know how much each item weighs. They may have the entire walk planned ahead of time maybe with some reservations made.

The person who is primarily Blue is quiet. On the Camino they may get lost in the crowd. This doesn't mean they have no social skills... they might be sitting under the tree writing in their journal when the yellow people are whooping it up trying to make sure everyone is having a good time. A blue person will probably not start the conversation but will talk when someone else addresses them.

The best group dynamic will have individuals from each color group. A group of mostly one color gets bogged down.

I'm primarily green with a bit of everything else. Yes, I have lists!

 

[simply B]

I "escaped" the US elections in 2012....only to be stuck right in the middle of elections in Spain. You just cannot count on "getting away from all that".

Reflections on Deflection

The most objectionable question to me was "So, why are you doing this?" My answer was invariably "I am not being flippant but - - if I could tell you then we would both know."

On religion and politics..."We are brothers/sisters on pilgrimage. Why would we talk about arbitrary labels that divide us?"

It worked most of the time.

Walking away was my next best option.

B

 

[Angelo]

I belong to the Blue-Green Spectrum. Spot on!

 

[William Garza]

Yup..yellow!
With some blue green thrown in

 

[mspath]

[QUOTE="Kathar1na, post: 311958, member: .... And while one of the movies is a lot funnier and also more realistic than the other, they are similar: they tell you that walking for a long time with others changes you and they make you cry at the end. [/QUOTE]

And the last credit to roll in both should read "all you really need is love!"

 

[Coleen Clark]

Hear, hear.

Really, aren't you responsible for everything in the USA?

And how about hearing about how loud and pushy Americans are by loud and pushy people? I will be quietly smiling the Mona Lisa smile and walking on.

Opinions and Farts. Everyone has them. No one wants to hear anyone else's. Mine doesn't stink but yours sure does.

 

[William Garza]

William, I read the forum rules for the first time just now where it says "No discussions on religion, bull fights, sports and politics. These topics 'always' end in a fight, so let's not go there. It is true that the Camino and religion is closely related, so some leeway will be given." Obviously, these are rules for talks on this forum but at least two of these topics have also been named as taboo or unwelcome during the walk.

Bull fights are probably not a hot topic amongst walkers, I assume there will be more or less unanimity, even if camino walkers come from diverse cultural backgrounds and countries. I myself find it interesting to learn how people who live in the area I visit or pass through view others and how they view things. In the area around Dax I saw posters and an arena for the first time. I also had to use a taxi a few times there, to get to my accommodation and back to where I had stopped the day before and to and from the station. In taxis, I often feel an obligation to start a conversation, so I used the opportunity and cautiously approached the subject in a neutral way with the taxi drivers. I found their reaction interesting: they don't go there anymore or have never been to a bull fight but they passionately defend it as part of their local culture and customs. They obviously had such conversations with outsiders before .

Since I have no interest in sports other than those I practice myself (jogging, running, hiking), this topic has never posed itself as a problem for me. I was suprised to see it mentioned in the rules.

I try to understand a peiples culture
To understand the motivations that drive a people.
That way....i know some cultures dont shake hands
Some view pork as taboo
Some. food has to be prepped a certain way
Some,days are more special than others

It gives a window into a rich historys of so many wondrous peoples.
The more i know,the less chance i have of causing distress to a person..and sometimes you have to ask.
Politics,religion and relations with someone are too close to the heart,too subject to emotions,not intellect so misunderstandings freuently occur.

I imagine,people on the Camino are under the cloud of some inner hurt and need time,and space to sort,
To...let it work itself out
Its easy to see when a person is suffering,

As a human being,i try to lend a shoulder
And knowing cultural norms helps me to do that

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Opinions and Farts. Everyone has them. No one wants to hear anyone else's. Mine doesn't stink but yours sure does.

Yes! and mine are "black and white" and carved in stone, and Truth with a capital "T"!

 

[melindafromtexas]

Judy, how about the flag of Texas instead? It looks nice and would make a good conversation starter.
A month ago, I happened to walk past a dozen or so pilgrims on the CP with big flags on their backpacks. Curious, I asked what country they were from. Aland Islands, I was told, is an autonomous part of Finland but they were monolingually Swedish-speaking. What followed was an interesting lesson in Geography and good company for a good hour for me.
Cheers!

I will be carrying a Texas Flag!

 

[JulieandPeter]

Whatever you talk about please, please do not speak loudly so everyone around you can hear the conversation. Americans, unfortunately, have a reputation for being loud talkers. We were in an albergue one morning and after some "Buen Caminos" were shared by some seemingly nice people, a couple left the room, a guy at the table turned to the rest of us and loudly stated, "It got quiet in here now that the Americans are gone." "We're Americans," I said quietly. Unfortunately, our reputation is somewhat well deserved in that aside from the guy at breakfast, just about every loud talker on the Camino was American. So whisper your profound thoughts.

As for my own thoughts along the Camino, I did some soul searching and definitely came away a more confident person with a better take on how I want to spend my moments on the planet. When I wasn't thinking about those moments or learning new things about my husband of 32 years (a difficult task) or listening to a great book (I listened to Elegance of a Hedgehog, Life After Life, and A Long Way Gone) or trying to remember all of the lyrics of at least one song, I was counting my steps. Counting usually got me through the last painful two kilometers of each day and I was almost always spot on with 2000 steps.

Finally, I made the mistake of intruding on a very personal moment a woman was having with a group of people she had met a few days earlier. I sincerely regret my intrusion although unbeknownst to this woman, her experience and our brief meeting along the Camino has forever changed me. Nonetheless, I should have kept quiet.

 

[Pattii]

I think to generalize what one talks about when it hasn't happened yet is pointless. Just remember to listen twice as much as you speak if you do engage someone in a conversation...never push a conversation on a person and respect the ones who appear to want solitude.
And just from my own perspective, I for one am not walking to socialize. I would not be rude and avoid you or give you the cold shoulder but I may say outright, I am sorry I don't feel like having a conversation, give you a Buen Camino a smile and slow down or tie my shoe...lol.

 

[hecate105]

It seems we have a rich selection of answers here from don't talk to talk to talk much... I like what someone above said- if we all listen more than we talk we would get the signals that either encourage or discourage the conversation in point... Which is probably the 'art' of successful conversation.

 

[William Garza]

Its the profound silence between the words that speak more clearly to me than what is being said,

Everyone has something to say,some things are telegraphed by the unsaid, listening.,is a lost art
There is so much more to hear no? When ones focus is entirely on the person.
Somewhere along the line,it might have been inferred that conversations involved probing questions...
All my part is..is to listen,to those who have a story,

Whole worlds open up,cultures unfold,understanding begins about a peoples trajectory,who they were,are and hopefully will be..
You bring all this home from the road
To what?
Your perspective is bigger and deeper than those who chose the road most travelled by.
You are forever marked with travel,the experiences and those you met on the way.
Now you understand from looking through a cleaner sharper lens of life than they.
I ask,my world grows wider,brighter and more wonderfull.
My original post did mention my being quiet also no?

There is so much more in life if I sit still and be..still.
The words between the words are there to be heard.

 

[Icacos]

Its the profound silence between the words that speak more clearly to me than what is being said,

................There is so much more in life if I sit still and be..still.
The words between the words are there to be heard.

This is so very true, William. A very dear friend and confidante of mine, now deceased, told me years ago that constant activity is the antithesis of self-reflection [edited]. Would that we could transfer this knowledge to some who need it.

 

[when night falls]

Reading this thread again and thinking that maybe we should acknowledge that it is in fact people with different backgrounds that we encounter on the Camino. And remind ourselves that it is not "cultures" that walks the earth.

 

[William Garza]

I look at people as individual components of a larger movement.
I value the individual more than the whole,.conditionally.
The folks walking the Camino for whatever reason,belong to a culture of like minded...well..like idea people.
I believe that there is some draw..a calling to some (me)... To walk for various numbers of kilometers..for what?

But there is more to the story..for me at least.
The good people of the Camino who live on or near the pilgrim roads.
Ive an idea why they care for and provide shelter for pilgrims.
I agree with you about people