When I compare the countries of Spain and the Netherlands, there are some striking differences: Spain is undulating, confusing, warm, full of stones and rocks and some careless rubbish in yards here and there. The Netherlands is structured, flat, neatly finished and neatly laid out. A bit boring, especially the landscape, compared to Spain. In the Netherlands, the month of March is always cold and wet. But on the Camino in Spain we have had just about everything in these 1.5 months. Summer, autumn, winter and spring. Sun, rain, snow, hail, wind. It is therefore very special to notice how gradually and subtly Spain continues to change, if you walk through it at about 5 km per hour. The churches, the signage, the people, the bars, landscapes, the breakfasts, the wine, the greenery, etc. Etc. I am slowly starting to bond with this country, step by step.
From my first overnight stay I had a number of people around me, whom I would meet every evening. Sometimes I was a day behind, sometimes someone else was behind, then someone made a new connection, then someone disappeared again. I never had to be alone, but I often chose to be.
It is special to notice that I have so few worries. The concerns I have are clear: eating, sleeping, walking. Will we come across a supermarket? Which inn can we sleep in? Do I need to put my rain cover on my bag? Life is a party. The café con leche was cheap, we cooked together, there was music, shared sorrow, inside jokes and life lessons, because if there's anything I do well, it's life lessons. Here I have some to share:
Lesson 1: Live in the now. I can worry about tomorrow or what's happening in the Netherlands, but that doesn't do anything. There is an incredible amount of power in the here and now.
Lesson 1.2: Here and now also means that you always miss something somewhere else, wherever you wanted to be. But if you were there, you wouldn't be here now. And what does it give you here now?
Lesson 2: I need to limit my f***s to give about things. More f***s about myself and the things that matter to me.
Lesson 3: I'm doing my best and I still have to learn.
Lesson 4: I carry some life stories I have to learn to let go. What has happened to me in my life, what injustice has been done to me... only then can I move forward. (How, you ask? Ask me in a year, hopefully I will know then.)
Lesson 5: The world is generous, and so am I. We live in abundance.
Lesson 6: Perfectionism is the enemy of the good. I'm a lot happier when I'm satisfied with what is already there.
Lesson 7: walking is nice.
I already miss Spain, and I miss the friends I made: Sam, LuÃs, Margret, Grant, Yeando, Woody, Tomasso, Vitalija, Aya, Dan, Maël and a lot more people who are special. Who knows, I might see them again. But I will definitely see my friend the Camino again.