Snippets from Simon

  Picture: From Better Reading's Podcast with Leigh Sales. Podcast episode link here . So, having returned from the Portuguese Camino (Camino Portugues), I no longer trudge the trails of Portugual and Spain.  Yet, I continue the walk of life. As I walk, I look and listen - on good days, that is. This is a post I did not want to write and yet I found myself needing to do so. I saw the ads for Leigh Sales' book. I was a bit curious. But I put the curiosity aside. As often is the case, I was listening to the Better Reading Podcast with Cheryl Akle . She interviewed Sales about this book: Any Ordinary Day . The curiosity came back around the corner like a mischievous mate inviting me to an adventure. Then, after dinner one night, my channel-flicking landed on Gardening Australia where, Costa was working in the garden of Leigh Sales! I was avoiding the book, yet it kept coming up. I was avoiding it because my impression of Leigh Sales from 7.30 (The Weeknight Austral...

Hiding from Learned and Clever and Revealing to Children The day that we got our Camino Credentiale, the official note that you have completed the walk, we also went to the 12n Pilgrims Mass at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It was a simple Mass but a profound one that included the swinging of the great thurible at the end of Mass. But the other thing that struck me was the Gospel of the day on Saturday 6 October. It was Luke 10:17-24. To save you looking it up, it was about the disciples returning to Jesus after being on mission. Jesus praises God that what the disciples learned was hidden from learned and clever and yet revealed to children. He then tells them they are blessed for what they have seen. This is a profound message for the Camino Way. To walk the Camino you do not need to be learned or clever. You do not need to do courses. But, if you have the open eyes and ears of wonder that a child has, you will discover much. It will be reveale...

Near Restful Waters On my first attempt at writing this blogger crashed and I lost the post. Now I’m trying to piece it together from the fragments of my own memory.  It was meant to be about water. So, here goes... As we walked the Camino Portugues I became very aware of water. On day one, we walked from Porto to Vila de Conde, and did so by the sea. On many days we passed pools, fountains, ponds, brooks, streams and rivers. At times these waters seemed to call out: “Stop. Be still. Come and rest by me.” We also became aware of basic needs that water slakes. Walking in the heat, where hard surfaces deflect the sun back towards us, our thirst became greater. We needed to drink more water. On the two days I felt the affects of dehydration,  I noticed how debilitated we can become.  But water has a blessed relieving function too. Oh the joy of the shower at the end of the walk each day. Washing away the dust and sweat and grime and just invigorating t...

This is one of those red herring posts. I started calling it red sardines because the Portuguese are rather fond of their sardines - cold or grilled. Anyhow, I’m digressing off the digression and may be taking the wrong pilgrim path! Popular piety and devotions can be a mix of the good, the bad and the downright zaney. Some of the sovenier shops are awash with cheap and gaudy plastic statues of St. Anthony of Padua in various colours. Often they are shelved near wood carved images of over size penises that act as beer bottle openers! Oh, the irony! St. Anthony is, of course, the saint raised by the Portuguese who went to join the Franciscan Friars and became associated with Padua in Italy. A blessed relief came in the cathedral of Santo Ildefonso in Porto, where this tasteful and original word carved side-altar offers pilgrims a quiet pause with one of their favourite saints. Speaking of spreading good news I’m very grateful to the We Are The World Blogfest crew who ha...

After taxi strike had us scrambling for buses on arrival, we got to our accommodation.   The next morning we awakened from a jet-lagged sleep to a delightful breakfast in the hotel. Finding the red Hop-on Hop-off bus tours we had a two circuit tours of Lisbon.  Avenues, statues (and more statues and monuments) popped up on the route. Some of the parks and areas are we well ordered and beautiful. Yesterday a pleasant lunch was to be had at the Museo de Beer on the Placa Commercia. See photo.  A delightful lunch was had today on one of Lisbon’s hills from this tiny kiosk. Buskers thrilled us with their blues, while a man - who earlier talked with his imaginary friend - danced freely to the music. Tomorrow,  on to Porto and then the Camino begins.

Two people came into my life that have given me pause.   The first is Ailsa Piper . In her account of the Camino Walk Sinning Across Spain ,  she writes beautifully of her experience of both events and her inner life. I particularly liked her love of language, landscape and a good yarn, seasoned with delightful servings of poems. T he second is Noel Braun . I've met Noel Braun on a couple of occasions. After his wife died, Noel went on a Camino. He described this in his book The Day was Made for Walking .  After that, he did the Portuguese Camino and related his experience in I Guess I'll Just Keep on Walking . There are others out there. These two have helped me.

As I prepare for the Portuguese Camino Pilgrimage I think of what may help.  Pilgrimage can also be a parable for the journey of our whole lives. If so, I'm mindful of some spiritual guides along the way. One of these is John O'Donohue . On his Facebook page was the following prayer-poem. It is good for pilgrimage. A SACRED JOURNEY When you travel, A new silence Goes with you, And if you listen, You will hear What your heart would Love to say. A journey can become a sacred thing: Make sure, before you go, To bless your going forth, To free your heart of ballast So that the compass of your soul Might direct you towards The territories of spirit Where you will discover More of your hidden life; And the urgencies That deserve to claim you. John O'Donohue Excerpt from the blessing, "For the Traveler" TO BLESS THE SPACE BETWEEN US (US) / BENEDICTUS (Europe)