Leave Nothing Behind

Leave Nothing Behind

Back in my running days, there was a saying my daughters and I would say to each other before we would run a long and grueling run. These words  could inspire and instill the greatest encouragement, confidence,  and inspiration. It was three simple words which could evoke the deepest of feelings and emotion. It was merely...leave nothing behind. Today those words came to me in the most unusual place.

We are still in St Jean and tomorrow we head out to Ronchesvalles. It is probably the most difficult climb we will have while on the trail. We met many people today and all of them are taking the easy trail up this route. Tom and I were a bit perplexed because we have chosen the traditional way which is a bit steeper. I began to wonder if perhaps we have made the wrong choice...

After dinner there was a free concert at the cathedral in town. It was the choir from Bayonne and they were singing in the Eglise Notre-Dame-du-Bout-de Pont. They were exquisite to say the least. I thought about how long there had been music in that cathedral and how many people had sat on the wooden pew I was now sitting on listening to these same beautiful sounds. My thoughts went quickly to our walk and then I realized that many people had made the same pilgrimage that we are about to begin. While we may take other journeys in our lives, this is probably our only time for this one. We will give it all we have, both spiritually and physically...we will leave nothing behind.

We are enjoying the beauty of this moment and all that is yet to be. We don't know all that lies ahead but we will not fret. We will take each day one step at a time and enjoy it for exactly what it is. There is so much ahead of us...Buen Camino.