Sad news in Leon

Camino: Day 16 -Thursday April 23, 2009
Hotel Paris in Leon (Rest – 0km)

Corky Fakt 9: Be still and be present to the needs of those around you.
I woke up to the news from home that our dog Casper has died. How strange, I had a dream last night that he was dying but it was Mike who was away from home. In my dream I was willing Casper to hang in until Mike came back. I was staying in a dormitory with perhaps 50 others – all bustling to get going for the day – and no one except a French lady noticed that I was crying. She asked if I was OK.  It was so kind that someone cared enough to notice. It made me realise that even here where one would assume there is a spiritual or religious motive for some people on the Camino, almost everyone this morning was so wrapped up in leaving on their own journey that no one notices anyone else. A lady yesterday even took a blanket from my bed when I was out of the room. Her need was greater then mine apparently.
I left the Alburgue and luckily the hotel I am staying at, let me have a room straight away. I really need the space on my own to accept the news. In a way there is a certain symmetry to events. June, the Korean student I walked with a few days ago said to me that he was told that the Camino is three walks: the first stage walking to Burgos is physical, the second stage to Leon is mental and the last stage to Santiago is spiritual. So far that is so true for the first two stages for me. I am looking forward to new beginnings of life without Casper and the third stage of walking – which is just over 300 km to Santiago.
Category : Camino De Santiago 2009, Hiking