So You Want to Walk the Camino… — by Shelby Canonico

Reflections by Shelby Canonico (from 28 May 2017)

So, you may be thinking about walking the Camino de Santiago. I am here to tell you that while this is a wonderful decision, it may also be the most painful decision you have ever made. While you might be a lean mean walking machine (@Cayla @Tracey), you could also be an actual human. For those of us who are unfortunate enough to feel pain the walking will inevitably begin to take its toll.

What I discovered is that I am not only a human, I am subhuman. During this trip my feet have turned into literal blisters. I have blisters on top of blisters. However, as a result of this I have had the opportunity to see just how kind people truly are. I have been offered 2 canes, 3 sets of walking polls, and received countless sympathetic comments regarding my limp. I also had multiple people personally help me with my blisters (even though they were disgusting). I believe this is testament to the truly kind nature of human beings.

Seeing so many genuine people everyday made this experience even more special. I learned through this journey that it is always best to have a positive attitude and to appreciate what is going on around you. The world looks better when you focus on the happy as opposed to the sad. What is a little pain from a few blisters in comparison with the opportunity to travel through Spain and make such wonderful friends.

Adios

“Shelly” (This nickname is against my will but I’m coming to accept it)