Day 24: Leon - a day of rest

What a wonderful day. I ran into so many people who were walking ahead of me and I was glad because I wasn’t sure I would ever see them again. I spent the morning hanging out with the raucous family of 7, playing and doing laundry at their place. Then I got a massage and later ran into Nina and Chris whom I had not seen since we were talking about being teenagers.  We had scrumptious sushi with Hayley, whom I didn’t think I’d see again at all. The whole day felt like splendid reunions one after the other.   

Mexican Nina and Swiss Chris had lost a bet to me many kilometers ago, and they paid it back by taking me on an embarrassing tourist train around the city.  Brazilian Larissa joined us at the last minute as we took the corny tour, and we waved dutifully from the train while rejoicing that we were simply riding around rather than walking as a way to appreciate the city.

While we were riding around, Irish Cuevan (I simply can’t spell it in Gaelic) yelled out across the plaza in front of the cathedral:  “TWENTY-FOUR!  BREAK UP!”  22 year old Vanessa, who has aged out, wished me a happy 24. British John of the retired RAF, WhatsApped me the story of his first son’s birth.  All day long, people described the hope and heartbreak of their young adult lives.  One man told me that this time was a blur of drugs and alcohol.  A woman told me about working with immigrant African kids in France and providing them with support.  

I continue to be amazed and moved by this age game.  As I walked around the magnificent cathedral, the stories of people’s lives were in my thoughts.  I feel like there is some connection swimming around in my head between pilgrims of past and pilgrims today and life stories and religion. But I can’t quite figure out the connection I want to articulate.  I might need to read The Canterbury Tales.  

For me 24 was a year of group house living, grad school attendance, and unrequited love.  I found myself reflecting  that I  am  grateful that I had support to practice as a peer tutor the things that I was learning in the classroom at GMU.  Also, I remember that Ryan and I had a garden, and a squirrel ate our only tomato.  Bastard.