Dance Line

If you have ever watched a musical - on television or in person - one of the most intriguing parts is when the cast forms a long line - the dance line - and performs in unison with each other. It is impressive that the choreography is so well timed that the people on the ends and in the middle have their movements synchronized exactly - moving as one body - with dozens of arms and legs. As individuals - each one is an excellent performer - as a group - as one body - astounding.

While walking The Camino - we passed by so many dance lines of trees - bushes - shrubs - rocks - that much of the beauty of the moment escaped us - eyes focused downwards - watching each step - avoiding - rocks - roots - ruts - attempting to walk without falling - attaining our goal for the day - the next albergue - the next rest stop - an open cafe or bar - our bed for the night. The idiom - not being able to see the forest - for the trees - so true on Camino - so sad.  It was not until we had finished our Camino - riding on a bus or train - that we became fully aware of what we had just done.  On the surface - we walked kilometers or miles - past thousands of trees - rocks - bushes - in reality - we had walked through the garden that is - Northern Spain - through towns - villages - through entire communities - one person - one place at a time.  During our month in Spain - we had walked through valleys and hills - we had climbed mountains - from the base - to the peak - one step - one rock - at a time. Our eyes saw each tree - but missed the forest - viewed each pebble - but missed the rock formations - until we  stopped - dared to look up - or down - at where we had been - where we had arrived. Then - only then - could we comprehend - what we were doing - still - on a larger scale - not apparent - until we left the Camino.

                                            The Garden of Northern Spain

It is amazing what each of us - each peregrina - each peregrino - did on our Camino. Where we walked - what we saw - what we experienced - who we met - residents - visitors - young - old - cannot be explained - defies description. We dared to leave the comfort of our homes - schools - offices - to walk with the angels - to experience the presence of God -  to experience each other - to experience self - one step at a time. We did it as individuals - in our own way - in our own time - starting at different points - taking different paths - yet in unison with each other - forming one beautiful Camino dance line.

Buen Camino

Dale and Arlene