A few days back I met a pastor and his wife from Oregon. They were having a long discussion with a couple of pilgrims about their faith, their reasons for walking the Camino de Santiago and the power of the Holy Spirit in their life. I listened as the pastor explained that you could divide the Camino into three stages.

The first stage is physical – I totally agree.

The second stage is mental – meaning your body has adjusted to the new demands you have placed on it, and now your brain needs to.

The last stage is spiritual.

Today is day 22 of my 33 day pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James. My last day of the mental stage, which would explain the total meltdown that I am about to have.

I am just outside of Astorga, a relatively large city with lots of beds for pilgrims, home to a Gothic-style 11th century Cathedral and famous for it’s chocolate. The latter, in my opinion, clear evidence that many a pilgrim have a breakdown right about now. Hence the market for chocolate.

My walk into Astorga was 31k. Just before entering the city the pilgrim must climb a ramp about four stories high and then descend down the other side. This excercise delivers the pilgrim safely over a railroad track. I stand at the base staring up at it for a good long time, imagining what the temper-tantrum that is convening in my head might look like if I expressed it in an outwardly manner.

Sensing my hesitancy, an American pilgrim waves at me from the top and says, “it’s the only way over.” I swallow my disdain for whom ever came up with this contraption and continue forward.

My meltdown ensued sometime later in the evening, soothed only by a shared meal with my fellow pilgrims and, of course,  a bar of chocolate.

In Rabanal, the Confraternity of St. James runs an albergue attached to the Benedictine Monastery. The hospiliteros offered us tea and hot chocolate when we arrived, paella and bread pudding was being prepared and a fire roared in the hearth. The weather was very cold and we were told to expect snow the following day. Pilgrims gathered by the fire and told stories of their journey, where they are from and how soon they will be arriving in Santiago. A shared meal and a bottle of wine lifted my spirits once more.

The priest from the monastery came by to invite us for evening Vespers. He asked me to read the English portion of the prayer from the choir.  As 7 p.m. drew near the small church filled up. Pilgrims filled the pews and lined-up along the back walls, the two monks sang from their breviary. The clouds outside cast a shadow over the tiny church, candlelight flickered from the altar.

It is the first day of the final third of my journey on the Camino. My spiritual journey has begun. Tomorrow we will reach “La Cruz de Ferro” – a great pile of stones laid down by passing pilgrims. A symbol of the pilgrims burdens laid at the foot of a cross mounted atop a weathered pole. Mine is tuck away in my backpack waiting for this moment.

The following morning began like this.

But quickly turned to a blizzard, in May, in Spain!

With no hat or gloves, my much anticipated spiritual moment at Cruz de Ferro turned into a brief symbolic gesture with one profound lesson. It went something like this, “Thank you Lord, here is my rock, my burden, you can have it. Now get me out off this mountain.”

If only I could do that with every burden. It was so easy. Why didn’t I do that before? A lesson I will never forget.

Arriving safely in Molinaseca.

Sharing a meal again in town.

To be continued…