defining a pilgrim

I spent the weekend at a festival and attended a session on pilgrimages. As one would expect, it was very contemplative and inspiring, combining space for thinking about pilgrimages and the history of them. 

One relic of the historical art of pilgrimaging is the scallop shell. It has long been the marker of a pilgrim, for various reasons. It is deeply connected with St James and the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. One of the connections is the shape of the shell; "The grooves in the shell, which come together at a single point, represented the various routes pilgrims traveled, eventually arriving at a single destination, the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela" (www.otherspain.com). It was also a sign that the pilgrim had reached their destination, as Santiago de Compostela is located on the shore of Galicia where scallop shells are common. Shell signs marked the route, as well as acted as markers for buildings and homes that would welcome pilgrims. Pilgrims would often carry a shell along the journey, and they would present the shell to others to ask for food or drink, which would be placed in the shell. I will need to find a large one!

I have focused largely on this 62 mile trek as a pilgrimage for contemplation, fundraising, adventure, escapism, and all other wonderful things. I have forgotten that life itself is a pilgrimage. We are constantly journeying, winding, going up mountains and down valleys, and we are always seeking. There is always more to learn, people to meet, people to love, places to go, challenges to be faced, tears to cry, laughter to laugh, and God can speak at any moment, anywhere, to anyone. Although I think it is good to take time and retreat into nature and the mind and soul sometimes, I am hoping to go into this pilgrimage with the intent of continuing it long after Lindisfarne.

the reality is starting to settle in

Nine days to go to the starting line and I can safely say I still have no idea what is waiting in store for us! Having never been much of an 'endurance athlete' - okay, having never been an endurance athlete at all! - I have no idea how to train for something that covers this much ground. I have done a half marathon, a 52-mile cycle challenge, four throwing events in a day, three munros in a day, but again, they were all just one-day events, nothing covering multiple days and as continuous as this. And the training for those came more naturally - Chelsea was in charge of training for the half marathon (which means it was very organised and it got done!), I was cycling 15 miles a day for work anyway, I had coaches to train me for the throwing events, and the munros - well, there's a pint always waiting at the bottom of a munro so there's enough incentive without proper training :) The longest distance I've ever walked in a day in hills is approximately 15 miles, but that was followed by days of lazy recovery, dinner at a fish and chip shop and (obviously) a pint. Given we will be averaging 15 miles a day, sustaining ourselves on bread and cheese (and peanut M&Ms, because I am a 21st century pilgrim with an addiction to chocolate), for four days straight and sleeping on the ground, it will undoubtedly be an interesting experience! One advantage is having incentive to keep moving - other hill walking journeys have had a day of hillwalking with the option of being lazy the next day. There is no option this time around. 

This all sounds quite negative - I am actually looking forward to it all! A few days away from the computer, phone, media, alarm clocks, sirens, traffic, sense of responsibility and debt to society, and just being present in nature, enjoying Victoria's company and the beautiful countryside. I will bring a camera along, so technology won't be completely absent, but I hope that won't distract too much from the experience and will only serve to help share it with others.

So it's all starting to hit me that I have no idea how to train for this - I've been going with a combination of running, cycling, gardening, ceilidh dancing, walking and yoga - but I think the motivation, incentive and inspiration of it all will make up for my lack of preparation. It has been so encouraging witnessing people's generosity in giving and supporting this pilgrimage, so thank you all!

from dust to dust

"I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?" " 
Ecclesiastes 3

just a stranger on a bus

There are quite a few big questions that get asked about God, faith, and life in general: 

- why do bad things happen to good people?

- what is the purpose of life?

- do woodticks have a purpose? 

- how can an all-loving, omniscient God 'allow' people to not believe in Him?

- why don't humans hibernate?

- why are humans the only species that actively destroys its living environment?

- are natural disasters punishment for sin, a sign of the fall, an unfortunate side effect of how the geological world works? 

- why do people make buttons just to label them 'do not press'?

Some of these are unanswerable, some controversial, and yeah okay, maybe some of them aren't the 'big life questions' but they are ones that I have! So my question for you - and I'm hoping to have some virtual interaction here!

What one question would you ask God if you had the chance?*

*assuming you believe in or are willing to entertain the thought of a higher being, for sake of argument we'll call that being 'God' and that you are willing to hear the answer. 

Comments are very welcome!

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Training update: walked 15 km last week along the Water of Leith, which is approximately the distrance of one of our short days for our pilgrimage. Verdict: although I think I fared better than Sean, my legs definitely hurt that night and that wasn't including any hills. Need to incorporate hill walking into my schedule - soon!!