Category: A Very Short Story

From the Short Story Vault

New Year’s Day: Peaceful Easy Feeling

This is my first post since having completed my Vezelay to St Jean Pied de Port 900 kilometer pilgrimage 13 September 2018. After completing such a journey and experiencing a tremendous natural high that came with it, I just did not feel like writing anything at all. Now, however, I have a renewed interest and strength and a peaceful easy feeling:

2018 was a bittersweet year for me. My dear wife passed away from Cancer 08 December 2017. Our first grandchild was born 01 April 2018. April Fools Day but more importantly, Easter Sunday. A real blessing for me but sad that my wife never got to hold her.

I spent most of my time in the first 6 months of 2018 planning my pilgrimage. This proved to be a very welcomed distraction from my grief. I will not go into it as you can read about it in my archived posts starting around the 27 July – 13/14 September 2018. I felt my wife’s presence throughout the long walk. Silent times for personal reflection among some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet – France. Mon Dieu, beaucoup de belle pay. Je l’aime. It renewed my faith in life and in God. My anger about my wife’s death dissipated like a light translucent fog in a light summer’s breeze. How could I remain sad in this environment?

From there I went to Lourdes, which was a very personal journey for me. Then finishing off this glorious summer trek with a visit to a very old, but dear friend, who now lives in Switzerland. Spending a week with her, her husband and family was a highlight for me. Thanks Ruth and Pascal.

I was able to say goodbye to Marijke and I could sense her letting me go. To move on. It is okay, she whispered in my ear, GO, and  live, just as a soft, light enveloping wind swept over me like a cool refreshing blanket in this summer’s heat. I will never forget her but I must move on for the sake of my two sons, and now my grandchild.

Goodbye Marijke. Until me meet again. Hallelujah!

That is it. I look forward to the New Year with a renewed sense of purpose and interest. Those that know me and have followed this blog know that I am a compassionate conservative, who likes to poke fun at current events, and personalities – left or right, up or down, it makes no difference to me.

Here is my last song. Cheap Trick: I Want You to Want Me!

SJ………………………………….Over and out.

Post Script: The End

Check out my new book Kurofune by clicking on the link above right. Getting great reviews. Would make an excellent Christmas gift while supporting a Canadian author.

Feel free to leave a comment. I answer every one. Just click on the comments tab to the left of the screen, scroll down to the bottom or until you see the comment block. Thanks.

The end of this Pilgrimage is just the beginning of the rest of my life. Thank you. To all of you who made this Pilgrimage so special:

Robert from Leavan; Vezelay Abby Brothers and Sisters; Peter from Belgium; Jean Pierre, Michel and Stephanie; Johan from North Holland; Gill, the anorexic pilgrim; Philippe and Antonia from Dachau; Berry the flying Dutchman, the Von Trappiste Family; Orion, the hippy Frenchman; Frederick, Dauphine and Bruno; Angelique from Uzbekistan; Premerly Bistro Staff; the old man and his wife at the Premerly Campsite; Gill the model mathematician; Laurent; Philippe from Luxumbourg; Anne Marie and Rejean from Paris; town of Flavignac; Peter the Judge from Ghent; Lisandra and Rewanda from the Netherlands; Arek from Poland; Marcus and his dog; and all of the staffs at the various pilgrim hostels I stayed at; Murial from Mount Marsan, Gilbert and his wife from Bazas; Samuel the French Philosopher who is trapped in a bikers’ body; Pascal from Strasbourg; Guy, the other French anorexic pilgrim; Gunter from Dussuldorf; Yannick and Michel – I hope you find your course in life – thanks to all of you for making this journey so memorable for me.

Finally:

Goodbye Marijke

Thank you for those wonderful days you gave me.

I will always love you. I will never forget you.

And to you:

Michael and Mark, Danielle, Ruby, Jeannie and PJ, Brad, Laura, their kids – this Pilgrimage is dedicated to all of you…and of course Sid.

And to all my friends for your support, especially Ted, Marg, Pascal and Ruth.

Thank you for the days:

SJ…….out.

Off to Lourdes. This is personal. No more posts. I hope you enjoyed the journey with me. Thanks for your comments and support. It really helped me out. Marg, I still have that emulate you gave me before I left. I carried it throughout.

To my Swiss Friends – looking forward to seeing you soon.

And may all your life pilgrimages be happy ones with no suffering whatsoever.

Day 42: Ostabat to Saint Jean Pied de Port

Made it. Safe and sound. This calls for a celebration:

Day started off beautifully. Just look at this sunrise in Ostabat:

Now 22 kilometers to Saint Jean Pied de Port across some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see:

I arrived and finished:

 

Last night a real Basque farmer entertained us in song. Of course we had to sing along or hum or yell whatever because Brunet had a very loud and booming voice:

Fun!

Walking today brought on a barrage of emotions. My friend Ted was right about that. I thought about everything since starting this journey. I thought of my wife, my children, grandchildren, the scenery, what to do for the rest of my life. But it is impossible to remain sad, despondent or depressed about your situation in life when you experience what I have experienced for the past 42 days and the array of characters and individuals, crazy or normal but all unique, that I have met.

I look ahead with renewed hope and optimism. How can I not when walking among these hills,these valleys, these farms, meadows, mountain tops and morning mist. It is a scene that is impossible to describe. Only some heavenly inspiration could possibly capture the beauty and essence that nature has given us here. As I look ahead at the bluest morning sky I have ever seen – a blueness that was captured in my wife’s eyes – deep blue, crystal clear and magnetic – and the sculpted mountain peaks in the distance, I can see a thousand “Davids, “ nature’s masterpieces everywhere I look. This area is unbelievably beautiful. And that is what gives me hope and the will to carry on. God’s gift of nature’s beauty to all of us.

I think of Marijke. Someone I have lost. I feel for my kids and the wonderful mother, friend and fan that she was to them. In her eyes, as in all mother’s eyes,they can do no wrong and like nature’s “ David” are perfect human beings in their own right.  And for that I am thankful. Thankful for the renewed hope that that thought brings to me. I am sorry Mark and Mike for your loss and sorrow but together we can live again in her memory. I know we can.

That is it. No more tears, no more sorrow. Just life!

I can only think of one song that could match the beauty of this morning’s walk:

A few stats:

42 days;

900 kilometers;

Averaged 25 kilometers per day;

990,000 steps

On average I spent about 40 euros per day;

Stayed in a hotel twice;

Camped 10 times;

Had 2 rain days and 6 rain nights;

Never got sick;

Shoes, socks, pants and tees held out. At least I think they did. The “haz-mat” team may think otherwise.

And like a good pilgrim, I suffered.

Tomorrow will be my last post.

 

 

Day 41: Penultimate: Sauterre de Bearn to Ostabat

Today’s walk is dedicated to all of those men and women dealing with cancer patients at the BC Cancer Clinic. To all the Nurses and Oncologists who have to deal with this as a career. They are real heroes.

Found out today that we are actually in the Pyrenees, French side. Makes sense as the hills have become sreeper and steeper, higher and higher. Here are a couple of views of hills we had to climb today:

That hill in the distance is typical of the hills we climbed today. One hill was 350 meters high over a distance of 700 meters. Compare that to the Malahat, which rises 352 meters over 8 kilometers. Tough! The actual walk today was 26.8 kilometers, which took us over 7.5 hours – a long day as a result of the hills.

The area around Ostabat is unique in that 3 of the French Pilgrimages meet here: Tours, Vezelay and Le Puy. They all then converge on St Jean Pied de Port before climbing up and over to begin the Camino Frances to Santiago.

The 3 French paths converge at this spot.

The landscape between Sauterre and Ostabat actually reminds me of the Swiss countryside, especially near Zurich. Rich:

Pascal and his favourite companion – our host last evening:

Getting tired now. Tomorrow is day 42 and the end of this journey.

The area around Ostabat also has a Spanish feel to it and there are palm trees here and there. It reminds me a bit of northern California with its Spanish vibe. Accordingly, here is another Eagles classic. One of the best leads around by Don Felder.  Sound and voice synchronization is off a bit. Enjoy:

 

 

Day 40: Orthez to Sauterre de Bearn

Today,s walk is dedicated to my nephew Gerry. He is a cancer survivor and hopefully remains cancer free.

Tough walk today. Some major hills. The Pyrenees are getting closer and closer so our terrain is becoming more and more like foothills. The countryside is absolutely breathtaking. The French are so lucky to be living in such a paradise. I often felt that if God were to live again on earth he would live in Oregon. And while I still believe that to be true I have to admit that France would be a close second:

Went out for dinner last night in Orthez. Finally some life on a Saturday night. It was fun. The two ladies with us are Pilgrim volunteers. They are both from Paris, speak absoultely no English but are real sweathearts. Both lost their husbands. The other guy is Philippe, an engineer from Luxumburg, who has been walking with me for the past few days. Speaks excellent English.

Then there is Arek, from Poland, who is walking in search of something. It is funny but all of the younger pilgrims I have met all seem to be searching for something. Hoping to find what they are looking for, whatever that may be, whereas us old farts have found it and are now trying to get rid of it…weird!

The two women you see there had to quit due to an injury to one of their knees.

And then there is Marcus.  An Austrian who is doing this pilgrimmage with his dog. Now I do not know if his dog is dying or what as I did not want to ask but Marcus is pushing his dog in a carriage all the way to Santiago. If that  isn,t a true bond I don,t know what is.

Another young Dutchman from Belgium showed up but like all of the other young dudes was totally into some parallel universe. I thought all of that hippy stuff disappeared with the onslaught of disco and bell bottoms. I guess I was wrong. But we all thought this Dutchman was a Pilgrim fraud. And why anyone in their right mind would want to pretend to be a pilgrim is beyond my comprehension. But then again I must have a screw loose as well to come to France ( they said) and walk 900 kilometers.

” Hey honey”

” Yes dear”

” I was thinking of going to France this summer and walking 900 kilometers in 34 C  heat. What do you think of that?”

” Fine dear, now take out the trash please.”

Milestone today: day 40 in my pilgrimage and I have walked 852 kilometers. And I saw a sign today that indicated directions to St Jean Pied de Port…wow!

Two more walks.

Great song for driving and a great song for walking. “Jessica.” He wrote this for his young daughter. This was a big hit when I lived in Hawaii in 1973/74. The double lead makes it unique: