The Way - An Unexpected Pilgramage

Last night I went to see "The Way" a film written and directed by Emilio Estevez in which Martin Sheen plays an American who travels to France to gather the remains of his son killed in a storm while walking the Camino de Santiago.

I wasn't as interested in the story as much as I was in seeing the terrain of the Way of St. James. For a thousand years people have walked this many miled path in France and Spain across the Pyrenees.

I awoke on my 50th birthday in LePuy-En-Velay a French starting point for the pilgrimage and attended the early morning service blessing those beginning the trek.

Two days prior I had been in St. Maries de la Mar, the town by the sea where the three Mary's (Mary Magdalene, Salome and Jacobe) and others including Sarah, revered now by the Romano gypsies as St. Sarah came to land after Jesus crucifixion. I was in St. Maries on the day honoring St. Sarah. I stood through not one but two services in an ancient feeling church packed with worshipers from all over Europe and yes, a few tourists. After the second service, the statue of Sarah was brought from the crypt and taken through the streets then out into the sea where she was ceremonially brought in from the water symbolic of her initial arrival in Southern France.

That May day in St. Maries as well as during last night's the movie I wondered how do we as a whole take pilgrimage? Where do we show the devotion, reverence and energy I saw and heard in Southern France in that church filled with people, gypsy people who are looked down upon in much of Europe? What events prompt Americans to stand and congregate for hours at a time?

Thus far the only events I've been able to come up with are sporting events like the Super Bowl or the upcoming Black Friday shopping day and maybe a handful of concerts or an event like Bonaroo. I'm not anti sports or shopping and I'm certainly not anti Bonaroo, but what does it say about us that the events in which we show devotion are primarily related to sports and shopping? What does it mean that we devote more time to watching tv or being on line talking or texting sound bites to others rather than spending face time with those under our roof?

I imagine one day walking The Way but for now I wonder how I might live daily more in a way that honors spirit, creation and the heart?

Pt. 2 - Then morning came.....

Rather than post the above late last night after the movie, I decided to sleep on what I had written and leave editing for fresher morning brain. Morning came and the last thing I wanted to do first thing was sit at the computer.

Instead I went outside hoping to find the book end for a piece begun at day's end yesterday prior to the movie. Thirty minutes into the experience of hearing the birds sing like it's spring and watching a lone bee dine at the azalea's fall blossoms, a cat crept under our arbor and made a left turn headed toward Natchez Trace. I know all the usual feline suspects hanging around the bird feeders. I love cats but always ensure they're scared away. I love birds and know most cats do too.

This wasn't just any cat. This was the cat, the lost cat, I read of yesterday on the neighborhood list serve. How many furry white cats with a black tail and black spot atop its head could there be in my neighborhood or zip code for that matter. I sprang from the swing and called out "Max". The cat looked yet stayed left which meant it was headed for the busy morning traffic on Natchez Trace. I grabbed our house phone, a can of food and searched for my cell. Every neighbor I called with quick internet access to the owner's number was either out of town or at work.

Without a thought I headed barefoot and house coated down our drive and up Natchez Trace. First though there was Kent the Culligan man who had pulled into our drive to do a repair. I think I apologized for my appearance as I ran through a neighboring yard and shouted, "Go on in." Kent looked as if finding customers in situations such as this wasn't all that unusual as I thought this is another Lucy moment in my life.

Morning me raced up busy Natchez Trace mindful the last time someone in our household did this in a robe and barefoot was in the mid-90's when I hurriedly left home to prepare for a friend's wedding reception and left the back door open. I returned a couple of hours later to get ready for the wedding to learn tenderfoot Jerry had chased Templeton my indoor, three pawed cat several houses down the street while nearly blind having forgotten his glasses. Jerry at least couldn't see the passers-by possibly looking at him yet the last thing I actually cared about was people seeing morning me.

I rushed up the sidewalk only caring that this cat somehow come to me. Fortunately someone walking their dog had delayed Max's crossing Natchez Trace. He sat tucked in the brush by the neighbor's shed still unwilling to come to me although the sound of the pop top on the cat food can caused him to look twice before turning back toward my yard. For the first time a cat was headed into our tiny bird sanctuaried yard and I was glad. I walked through accumulated sticks and leaves behind the shed and placed a bit of food on the ground then rushed in to ensure Kent had found our basement.

Max found the food but wouldn't come to me. Even if he did where would I put him? Neither of my cats would be happy with company even for a short time. I ran out and put more food down but this time nearer the house. Max ate while I got Mystery and Bogey's traveling carrier out of the car.

The third time was a charm. Max ate more food then rubbed his furry white body around my feet talking a lot and loudly. I scooped him up, placed him in the carrier and immediately got on line to find his people. For one brief second the thought did cross my mind, 'What if this isn't their cat?'

Max who I realized upon rereading the email was Flurry had gone missing Sunday evening from a house streets away. I don't know who was happier upon finding him, the owners or myself. I say this because I see the "Lost Cat/Dog" signs posted on my neighborhood street corners just about every day. I see the wandering cats and dogs around the country town I frequent and wonder with whom they live or lived. I feel not only for the owners (because I've been a lost cat owner) but also for the animals.

Awaiting his owners arrival, Flurry howled in the cage that smelled of others. I opened the door and he crawled to my lap and sat purring, his head tucked under my arm at times and at others looking into my eyes as I stroked his chin and nose.

It was during our communion that I realized being in nature and finding this dear cat revealed my pilgrimage. Devotion to Nature, the animal world and those who love animals and nature is what my pilgrimage on Earth is all about.

Loving is my pilgrimage. (Does this include loving people who eat huge steaks? Yes, if they truly savor and enjoy their experience and aren't just mindlessly stuffing themselves by doing as advertisers suggest. Does that include hunters who stalk deer near my country home? Yes, if they're honoring the animal and savoring the experience of the hunt and not just setting traps sold at stores luring deer to a corn feeding station where they're shot on site. That's not hunting in my book. That's falling prey to the easy, lazy way marketed in magazines and sporting/big box stores all around. That too is another story.)

After this flurry of unexpected activity, Flurry and his owners are now reunited and I realize the walking of the way isn't as important as much as the way I am inside, my inner attitude. Will I stay awake and open in love or fall asleep and become closed in fear?

This morning's flurry taught me the Way is both in and out, doing and being and that openness is key. My external path this morning took an unexpected turn but The Way was still my heart's Way through my deep love for animals and their people.

As I leave this computer to continue my day, I leave you with these thoughts: How do you experience the sacred in your daily walk? To what do you show devotion? What do you revere? What would you stand all day to get to experience and honor? What might pilgrimage look like to you? Imagine that.

-Dawn, The Good News Muse 8 November 2011
dawn@imaginetheshift.com

P.S. As for Kent from Culligan, after catching the cat I ran to the basement to see if he needed anything. The lights were out. His van was gone. The repair I suspect had been made. I'll call shortly to learn more and express my gratitude. Insurance companies and banks, once rooted in service, now it seems desire more to grow their bank CEO's bank accounts than grow personal relationships. Small business owners like Kent inspire me with acts like this morning as they honor the relationship we have one with another. Folks like Jim my neighbor in the country who last week within thirty minutes of hearing of my door issue had it repaired...that too is another story to be continued I suspect as I try each day to walk the way of love in this pilgrimage of life on Earth.