One of the most important pilgrimages during medieval times was the Way of St. James – El Camino de Santiago. There is no one starting point for this pilgrimage; rather, there is a large network of trails and roads that cross-cross much of Europe. The route is often marked with a scallop shell. With its grooves meeting at the hinge, the shells are a metaphor of the multitude of paths traveled to arrive at the tomb of James the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela, often many months later.
Recently, I watched the movie The Way, which chronicles a father's journey on the Camino de Santiago. What struck me the most was the transformation of the travelers. Each character struggled with one issue or another, and yet as his or her days turned into months, the miraculous occurred. They forgave; they let go; they moved forward with life.
Whether we embark on a physical or interior journey, we travel. And, similar to the hikers on the Camino, it can take months and perhaps years for us to reach that which we seek. Our paths may be quite different from one another, but we share common hopes for peace, meaning, or love; and, it is these ideals that draw us together--and remind us that we are family.
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