Camino Gratitude Primitivo

After four months of meticulous Camino preparation, I managed to forget the essentials: my iPhone converter and my sandals. On the Camino Primitivo, where the trail winds through remote mountain farming towns populated by horses, bulls, and sheep, a replacement is unlikely before Santiago..

Facing an 85°F Spanish heatwave, I made a choice. I turned off my phone to conserve the remaining power and stepped into silence.

I was reminded of Paulo Coelho’s wisdom: “If it costs you your peace, it is too expensive.” So, I let the frustration go. I stopped looking at a screen and started relying on my senses, scanning the horizon for the yellow Camino shells. I lost my way twice, but both times, fellow pilgrims appeared to rescue me. Hans Urs von Balthasar once wrote:

“We must begin from above, from the heights, in order then to see how the divine beauty gradually penetrates and elevates all depths of reality.”

As I walked those mountain trails, I felt that elevation. By being “unplugged,” I wasn’t just walking; I was spiritually guided. Stripped of technology, I found a sense of happiness I hadn’t expected. It was a true gift, one I will enjoy for another 300 km!