Kay from America

Hola it's Monday and that means ANOTHER day in the office!! The office on this particular Monday will be (hopefully) Estella Spain. Isay "hopefully" because I had a little friend attach himself to me yesterday...a blister  I guess it's proof I am actually walking and my body is responding. I was to mentally overcome the blister scenario, but apparently my forces of mental strength are failing. Also the 2 Brazilian bikers that were my roommates last night (seriously... not lying- it's awesome!) Anyways, they said they've heard that the 3rd day is the worst so we shall see. If that is the case, the Camino Frances (route I am on in the center of the Country) has many other alternatives so I can stop for the day if Ineed to in Villatuerta. Yesterday morning when I left and was walking in the morning air, the sun was just up and the breeze was so refreshing. Plus having fresh feet and legs after a good nights rest is always the making for a better day. Well I am finding that the most friendships are happening in the afternoons, evenings in the alburgues where all of us have arrived after a day of hiking and are recharging, laundering, showering, sharing stories. The last 2 days when I arrived, different peregrinos (pilgrims/trekkers) who had passed me on the trail (because sooner or later everyone seems to pass me) and we chat on the trail and what is our name and where are we from. I am Kay from Kansas. Yesterday I met Chris from Kansas City! So I had arrived last afternoon and was trying to determine WHICH alburgue I would stay at; there are many choices in these little villages. The one I wanted advertised a pool but as soon as I arrived in town, there was the sound of rushing water from a nearby stream and I stopped to just breathe in the beauty of that stream and then because I had consumed like 5 litres of aqua that day, suddenly I had an immediate need to pee. 20 feet away was an alburgue; JAKUE and I checked right in! This older gentleman was sitting in the outside patio and he yelled "Kay from America! You made it!".... It is such a neat thing to make friends and support each other so much on this trek. The Brazilians offered to care for my blister but since I had failed to get a pedicure before I came hiking; I decided to do that job myself. Stilll relentless kindness.This brings me to want to say what I've been meaning to get to for a couple of days now. When I originally started this trek I wanted to blog so that I could communicate with my loves at home that I was safe and happily moving forward. And then the blog thing was having issues so i decided to post on FB and immediately some of you starting sending me encouragment, love, support, confidence in my efforts and on the few days that I have experienced slowness in getting into my Camino Groove; your kindness and support almost makes me cry.... I am so thankful. Because even though I am very independant and willing to venture out into the very unknown, I am still very much a person who relies on friendship and family and love. I look a lot stronger than I am. My son Ryan, who is watching the home while I am gone and my daughter Mackenzie have been messaging me privately that they believe in me and that they are certain I am strong enough to succeed. THOSE words from them makes me feel so lucky to know they don't doubt me. Ironically, I could not have even began to leave for this journey if I did not completely believe in their strength to succeed without me as well. So very fully circle. Yesterday when I was walking away from that village I kept stopping to look back; back at the village, back at the rays of sun on my skin, back at the friends I made in that alburgue and may never see again because they are all faster than me. After looking back about 10 times, I realized that the things in life that bring us joy; our children, our loves, our friends, our employers.... things that we make good memories with; it is sometimes very difficult to NO look back because of the positive memories. But I could not move on to the NEXT new village if I was stuck in the ' looking back ' mode.... I had to stop looking back and continue looking forward. The internet here (rates) are kinda high so please KNOW without a doubt that Iam reading every single word of encouragment from you. Every single statement of encouragment is appreciated more than you know. I just can't afford (litterally) to respond to them. You are the people I think of when my heart wants to look back and feel connected. And thankfully even though most of you are 'faster' than me, because we come from the same village (more or less) I don't have to be sad when I walk away because I will be home again someday and maybe even someone will say "Kay from America! She made it home" If this damn blister doesn't jack up the whole day. Wish me luck and Buen Camino.