Friday 27 September 2013

Into the heart of the meseta

There is something about a day off. In some ways I feel guilty that I am not walking in others, I make the most of the opportunity .Yesterday after visiting the Monastery of the Huelgas I had the most delicious lunch in a restaurant that I had last visited 8 years ago. Pauleen and David shared the lunch with me,a reminder that the pilgrimage is more than just walking! At the hostel I discovered that there are only two other people for the night . I concelebrated with Padre Augustin for the second evening . He gave me a very warm embrace as we parted . At supper Marieno asked what time we wanted breakfast . I asked for 7.00 and she said 7.15. I slept well and was pleased to hear the Taize chants at 6.45. I wandered through just after 7 and everything was ready . I left at 7.25.After 4 days with Amede it was strange to be walking on my own.
Burgos was just coming to life.Children were heading for school . On leaving Burgos there was quite a tedious walk around a reservoir . In the cool breeze I reflected that we are now well into autumn. I enjoyed the walk and met David and Pauleen when I had my tortilla stop after 4 hours . We walked together as the path climbed steepl onto the mesesta. At one point a shepherd was leading his flock. After 6 hours I rounded a corner and there was Hontonas right in the heart of the meseta.30km after the day off.

1 comment:

  1. In an earlier post r Basil mentioned lines from Kathleen Raine's "Northumberland Sequence". I had not heard of her although having looked her up I realise that I should have done. I joined Cheltenham Library and borrowed her "Collected Poems" and now I know that an ealdorman was a senior crown representative and Prior Magistrate, a little like the Sheriff. The poem is beautiful. It starts with a description of the presence of God before time began ending the first sequence with "And I remain Before the first day" which I think is a powerful image. In the second sequence she speaks of "His radiance shines into my darkest place". What prompted me to mention this is Fr Basil's realisation that he was drawn to a bar in the early morning for a purpose - to console a bereaved man. Sequence IV ends "Let in the wound, Let in thepain, Let in your child tonight". Is this how we deal with bereavement?
    Keep on walking!

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