I am building a website to document my first adventure as a brand new retiree.  After working for 47 years in a wide variety of jobs,  I am officially off the treadmill!  However, still blessed with excellent health, I could not think of a better way to start my new life with an adventure of a lifetime.  Are you familiar with the Camino de Santiago?  It is a pilgrimage to the city of Santiago de Campostela in northwest Spain.  Originally, this was a Catholic pilgrimage in which believers from all over Europe braved the long and potentially dangerous journey to Santiago to pay homage to St. James.  Although Catholic in its origin and still a recognized Catholic pilgrimage, the beauty of the Camino is that it is open and welcoming to anyone. 

I am a Catholic.  I believe that human beings are comprised of mind, body and spirit.  I believe that true balance in one’s life is when one is intentional about developing and nurturing these three dimensions of our humanity.  I believe that there are an infinite number of other ways each person strives to strike one’s own personal balance.  I have made my own choice.  Maybe, if you “walk with me” during my Camino, you may find or make your own choice in striking the balance you may be seeking in your own life.

 I am still asking myself questions such as: who am I – really; what can I do to better serve my God, family, friends and community; where do I go from here? 

Initially, I wanted to begin my walk at the traditional starting point at St. Jean Pied du Port on the French side of the Pyrenees border with Spain.  This route is known as the Camino Francés.  It is approximately 500 miles to Santiago de Campostela.  My wife and daughter will be joining me on their own Camino.  However, my wife expressed strongly that no way will she be able to walk 500 miles.  I believe you won’t know unless you try it.  However, I’ve also learned that one way to stay married 34 years is to be able to make compromises.  Therefore, we are attempting an approximate 500 kilometers distance which places us in Burgos, Spain.  Now you know how I came up with the name of my website.

Although I am being joined by my wife and daughter, this is my Camino and my experience.  They too are experiencing their own Camino and will have their own experiences.  My goal is to enter a daily journal, load pictures taken along the way, and basically share our experiences with family, friends, and whoever wants to join us in our journey. 

Buen Camino!