people

In the beginning of the Camino, I spent some time with people. I sometimes walked with them. I sometimes made plans with them. Then I became much more solitary. I hardly every walked with anyone. I rarely made plans with others. When I felt I was becoming a part of an established group, I would shake myself out of it by going further than the others or hanging back. Today on the Camino, someone told me about a sign that said "Hurry up, Bridget!" It´s nice to be wanted, but that person (I think I know who) will have to wait for me in Santiago. There was another note for a rainbow haired girl. I didn´t see it, but someone else is waiting for me in Santiago. It makes me smile.

In these last few days, I find myself spending more time with people again. I don´t quite know what to make of that.

Yesterday, I spent half of the day walking and talking with an 11 year old Korean girl, playing I Spy in English and learning some Korean. Today was the only day of the whole trip that I have walked with people from start to finish. I met a bicyclist while I was having breakfast, and I told him that I wish he were walking so we could talk more. So he walked with me. It was very nice. His Camino--all 6100K of it as he has been riding since Germany--ends tomorrow. He was very reflective and asked me lots of hard questions. He told me that he had met his closest friends of his Camino (the first time when he was walking) during the last 100K. Interesting, particularly because as he left, I immediately started walking with a British guy and an American woman who are my age. We are staying in a huge monastery tonight and have made up a game where we get points for monkspotting. Nuns get extra. I just had a conversation with a monk, so I think I should get bonus points.

And I´m not just walking with others. I am slowing down to wait for my other friends, Iain and Marta. I don´t know why I am so open to having people around right now. Odd.