What will end up being the worst day of the Camino? As I glanced at a Camino forum this week, that question came up and caught my eye, most likely because I've tried to imagine some worst day scenarios (WDS) of the Camino and how to deal with each. Now as the perennial "bluebird of happiness," thinking about a WDS is a real downer for me, yet perhaps it is only due diligence to prepare for the worst on THE HIKE and think like any other rational being who wants more of the "safe," and less of the "sorry."
Some say the worst is the day you wake up with bedbug bites, but my response to this worry is that I am very used to being a tasty treat for mosquitoes, especially the wicked, dive bombing Asian Tiger kind, so come on you despicable critters, do your worst! Besides, I'm thinking of bathing in toxic chemicals each evening to ward off all sorts of evil. Others say the worst is the first day's hiking, which is up and down the Pyrenees (for those all-in, crazy people who must start in France for some reason, even thoug that reason is hardly sound). Ha! That has been taken care of quite nicely, thank you very much. It's called pre-booking a room at the top, halfway through, forcing us to stop and keeping us from walking too quickly in order to make it down the mountains to the first real "town." Some say it is all the uphills, or all the downhills. Meh, I live in the mountains, so not gonna sweat it, not at this juncture-just gonna take those downhills slooooow. Lesson learned on that front; see earlier post on downhills. The next WDS mentioned in the forum was walking on the path that closely parallels the highway, some saying the view is boring (going into the "mind palace" at that point or if completely desperate will try the longer more scenic route for a while), some saying it's because of the exhaust fumes (gitty up, free bug repellent). Of course preparation for a WDS wouldn't be complete without imagining the obligatory injury. Is that a worst day? I'll just have to make due with another form of transportation in that case, transportation that from my perspective doesn't make a person less of a pilgrim, just a more modern one, so no, that is not a WDS for me. The final WDS mentioned was the day a person leaves the Camino to go back to his or her other life, but can I call it the life "pre- Camino"? No, I don't believe anyone who does this will go back the same; therefore, there will be only "post-Camino" world, and that world includes many people I treasure, so I can't imagine that being a WDS.
Ultimately there's no telling what my WDS will be. It could be one of the above after all, or perhaps it will be the day I walk in mud or sheep manure muck or extreme cold or blasting heat. Frankly, I'm not too concerned. The struggles I've gone through so far in this life, while a real pain in the moment, have all worked to grow me into who I am: a person of faith, hope, and a dash of courage. Each day I witness others, too, who encourage me, as they are out there struggling with much more than I will ever know, finding joy along the way and taking it one step at a time, just like we remind ourselves about long distance walking. "All things [can] work together for good" (Romans 8:28), making our pilgrimage through this world, no matter where it takes us, one buen Camino.
Now on the other hand, let's hope my WDS is not having a total breakdown that results in trying to find comfort from a call to my mom just to hear her cackle "I told you so" before asking how much the phone call is costing me.
Some say the worst is the day you wake up with bedbug bites, but my response to this worry is that I am very used to being a tasty treat for mosquitoes, especially the wicked, dive bombing Asian Tiger kind, so come on you despicable critters, do your worst! Besides, I'm thinking of bathing in toxic chemicals each evening to ward off all sorts of evil. Others say the worst is the first day's hiking, which is up and down the Pyrenees (for those all-in, crazy people who must start in France for some reason, even thoug that reason is hardly sound). Ha! That has been taken care of quite nicely, thank you very much. It's called pre-booking a room at the top, halfway through, forcing us to stop and keeping us from walking too quickly in order to make it down the mountains to the first real "town." Some say it is all the uphills, or all the downhills. Meh, I live in the mountains, so not gonna sweat it, not at this juncture-just gonna take those downhills slooooow. Lesson learned on that front; see earlier post on downhills. The next WDS mentioned in the forum was walking on the path that closely parallels the highway, some saying the view is boring (going into the "mind palace" at that point or if completely desperate will try the longer more scenic route for a while), some saying it's because of the exhaust fumes (gitty up, free bug repellent). Of course preparation for a WDS wouldn't be complete without imagining the obligatory injury. Is that a worst day? I'll just have to make due with another form of transportation in that case, transportation that from my perspective doesn't make a person less of a pilgrim, just a more modern one, so no, that is not a WDS for me. The final WDS mentioned was the day a person leaves the Camino to go back to his or her other life, but can I call it the life "pre- Camino"? No, I don't believe anyone who does this will go back the same; therefore, there will be only "post-Camino" world, and that world includes many people I treasure, so I can't imagine that being a WDS.
Ultimately there's no telling what my WDS will be. It could be one of the above after all, or perhaps it will be the day I walk in mud or sheep manure muck or extreme cold or blasting heat. Frankly, I'm not too concerned. The struggles I've gone through so far in this life, while a real pain in the moment, have all worked to grow me into who I am: a person of faith, hope, and a dash of courage. Each day I witness others, too, who encourage me, as they are out there struggling with much more than I will ever know, finding joy along the way and taking it one step at a time, just like we remind ourselves about long distance walking. "All things [can] work together for good" (Romans 8:28), making our pilgrimage through this world, no matter where it takes us, one buen Camino.
Now on the other hand, let's hope my WDS is not having a total breakdown that results in trying to find comfort from a call to my mom just to hear her cackle "I told you so" before asking how much the phone call is costing me.