End of the World Celebration?

Some take off their worn boots and toss them over the cliff into the sea to celebrate the finale of a long journey. Here, our daughter, Mackenzie, looks out over the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Finisterre, Spain -- a place once believed to be the end of the earth. (In Latin, finis means end, and terra,earth.) Several years ago, Kenzie walked over 800 km from France’s border, across northern Spain. For over 1000 years, people from across the globe make this grueling pilgrimage for spiritual or adventurous reasons. It is known as The Camino and typically ends at the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. But, a small number continue on a path for another 90 km to the west coast at Finisterre.  

I am still in awe of her bravery and determination in completing this remarkable achievement. Mostly on her own, day in, day out, for weeks, she put one blistered foot in front of another. A reminder that most things are achieved, and that we make it through just about anything, one day at a time, one step at a time... unless, it's the end of the world, that is!

Please read Mackenzie's insights and reflections below; they might surprise you! 

Mackenzie walking El Camino, 2016

As I watched the sun slip into the Atlantic ocean, I remember thinking to myself, “What was the meaning of this?” I had just completed over 800 km, by foot, across France and Spain. Did I feel any different after completing this journey than I did before? No, I did not. And, I recall feeling incredibly frustrated by that fact. I guess you could compare it to being asked if you felt any older on your birthday than you did the day prior. Before I left for Europe, I had gone through a complicated break-up. I'd hoped the Camino would be a catalyst for uncovering "a universe-locked secret”, meaning, or experiencing a great epiphany. To my dismay, it never seemed to transpire. It took a few years of reflection to understand what I would take away from it.

On my walk, I found myself pushing away from the people that were asking me the tough questions about life. Funny enough, I would keep running into those people along the way until I faced head-on whatever lesson they had to teach me. Sometimes, I’d try to avoid them, and sometimes it was an exciting reunion. Once home, I eventually recognized this pattern in past and present situations. Lessons will keep surfacing and cycling until you  learn what was intended. On Camino, I didn’t want to fully acknowledge the feelings I was meant to be respecting at that time. Alas, the greatest healer can be to simply pause to feel your feelings for what they are, take a deep breath, and keep moving forward.

I also learned that not everything has to have complex meaning. Oftentimes, the purpose of something is just the experience in and of itself, and we should embrace that. If you focus too hard on trying to find meaning as you go, you ultimately lose sight of the journey, and sacrifice letting it develop organically. 

“I started this on my own, and I’m ending it on my own”. For whatever reason, I was adamant that I needed to walk the final stretch to the cliff and watch the sun go down, solo. The next day, I wondered why I needed to be alone for it. I felt a slight pang of regret, considering you’d see everyone embracing and huddling in the groups they became close with over the past month. But, now I realize it was a testament to myself and the meaning I was searching for all along - the only definite constant on your journey of life is ‘you’, everything else will ebb and flow. Along the way, check in and ask the tough questions of yourself, but more importantly, be gentle with yourself.   

~ Mackenzie Miller