L’aventure Commence

So I did something kind of creepy today. 

I was in Bayonne at the train station waiting to board the final leg to St-Jean-Pied-De-Port and a girl was sitting across from me speaking English, so I ask her, “Is your name Hatteras?”

Wild guess. 

I’m just kidding, I’m not that much of a stalker. I also asked her how old she was and where she lives.  

Okay, okay I’m really kidding. I knew her name because we are friends on Facebook from a Camino group and she’s commented on one of my posts before, and I asked her her age and hometown at a much more appropriate time in our conversation. 

Nevertheless, I will be the first to say that finally meeting someone who speaks English in this country and can actually relate to what I’m about to do was instantly calming to me. Because I’m not going to lie:

This all feels very foreign to me (pardon the pun, or don’t...if you like puns), I’m not really sure how I’m supposed to be feeling and from what I’ve heard I’m constantly worried that I’m not feeling enough. I hear that you meet your “Camino family” and bonding with pilgrims on The Way is effortless, but right now I feel like I’m forcing myself to feel things and act differently than I want to. 

That completely defeats the purpose of the Camino. 

So I’m not going to force myself to do anything anymore. Just getting here and doing what I’m doing was and is challenging enough as it is—I don’t need to manufacture other challenges for myself that don’t need to be there. 

Tomorrow, I officially start the Camino. And for the first time this trip, I’m going to lean back and literally (symbolically as well) let the road lead me wherever it may.

I think I’m ready now.