Camino Reflection - Desirderata

Max Ehrmann’s “Desirderata” begins:
Go placidly amid the noise and haste
And remember what peace there may be in silence.

The Camino has been a chance to escape the “noise” of life, if only for a brief time. For this journey, we do not hear the call of appointments, obligations, chores, and bills. The news is not loudly calling for our attention, and we are not in a rush to be anywhere in particular.

While our journey has certainly been full of fascinating conversations with people from all races and nations, it has also been a time of quiet. As we walk, our minds are clear enough to hear the birds sing and the wind rustle through the trees. Our eyes are focused enough to see the wild flowers, bugs, and butterflies that line the path. We take time to lay down in the shade and rest and to actually stop and smell the flowers.

We cannot stay in the peacefulness and quiet of the Camino, but as we return in a few weeks to the “noise and haste” may we “remember what peace there may be in silence.”