Day 2 of hiking the Camino with Angels –  Date: April 16, 2025

Okay, I have advice for anyone wanting to walk the route I am on for Day 1.  DON’T DO WHAT I DID!  I walked 15 miles from St. Jean Pied de Port, France to Roncesvalles, Spain.  It is mostly uphill and for us it rained the entire day.  I was in so much pain at the end of the day that I had one of those experiences we’ve all had.  Just one more little thing pushes you just one more little bit and you want to cry!  The last straw. . . I was wet everywhere.  My shirt, my pants, my waterproof shoes, my socks, my passport, my phone, my map book, my hair, my scarf, my undergarments.  Okay, maybe the right earring I was wear was mostly dry.  I finally get to my room.  I am the last person to check in.  I expected 7 hours for hiking and it took me 10.  I turn the key and the deadbolt clears the lock but I can’t open the door!  I tried it again and again and again.  I would’ve lost it but I left to go get my 100 lb suitcase (okay it’s only 30) which is down one flight of starts.  No elevators.  I schlep it up the stairs one step at the time.  Get back to my door, take a deep breath and try the lock again.  Same result.  I rush my shoulder into the door – you know like they do on tv.  Door doesn’t budge.  There is a bathroom and shower just on the other side of this door and I can’t get to it!  I could go down two flights of stairs to get the receptionist but that would mean I would have to come up again.  I don’t think I can do that.  Here is where an angel appears. 

“Excuse me but do you speak English?”  I cry this to the nearby patron that is coming out of her door.  “I can’t get my door open.”  She comes to help me.  Because she is an angel.  She explains to me that you have to turn the lock to move the deadbolt out of the door jam and then you have to turn it just a little bit more and the door opens.  I say thank you a few times and she closes the door and re-locks it!  “Here, you try to make sure you can do it.” That hot shower that was within grasp was yanked away.  Bless her for being thorough.  Normally I like that but not in this moment.  I just want to get out of these clothes and take a shower.  I mean is that asking too much.

I regroup and get the door open myself.  I thank her profusely and this angel goes on with her life.  I open the door to the loveliest room.  A beautiful bathroom, a hot water radiator which I can place my many wet things and those European hot towel rods.  If I could’ve moved my body to a kneel to say thanks I would’ve but not sure I could get up.  I did say thank you for my private room, my own bathroom and some space to be alone and get myself away from my verge of tears.  I actually never cried but I’m sure I would’ve if I did have to go down the two flights to get help.

I had many angels that day.  The gal who showed me where the hotel receptionist would be if she had been there and walked me into the bar to find a guy who could call her.  The guy walking in the woods away from the trail that was blocked by a down tree.  I had seen almost no one all day and here at this time I needed to use an alternative route, he is before me.  The time on the trail near the end (I didn’t know it was near the end) and there was no sign telling me which way to go.  I was on the side of the road after just climbing the longest uphill climb ever and I was standing there not knowing which way to go.  I first go right but it’s downhill and I knew if I went any distance and was wrong, I would have to go back uphill.  I kept that a short option just for that fact alone.  I’m standing on the side of the road hoping that someone is coming on the trail and maybe they know which way to go.  It starts raining again.  Of course!  My map book is not helpful.  I see a tiny road sign about a block down the road the other way.  I walk to it to see what that sign says.  Turns out that wasn’t a Camino sign but right next to it is a sign telling me which way to go.  I thank the angel that led me to that sign.  Again, I thought about going on my knees but we know I didn’t do that!

I believe we all have angels in our lives granting us grace in so many ways but we aren’t aware of them.  At least I am not aware.  I’ve said this trip is partly to get a re-set for my life.  I think this is one of the lessons I am learning.  Everyday things happen to us and many of them are little miracles brought on by angels.  Some angels are in human form, some angels we can’t see.  I’m hoping I will learn to notice the angels and miracles at a much higher rate than I have historically.

Hope you all are well.  I must get to bed.  Yay, I’m only walking 13 miles tomorrow!