500 Miles of Gratitude

A walk of one million steps ...five-hundred miles from France to Santiago, Spain ...walking the way of St. James ... My journey on the Camino de Santiago was a test that I created for myself because I needed to say thank you for all of my many blessings and to do so in a way that took me well outside my comfort zone. My journey on the Camino de Santiago provided lots of laughs and smiles as well as tears and pain. Along the way I had the good fortune to meet many very interesting people from all over the world. Walking for thirty-four days through rain, snow, heat, and cold tested my commitment to continue each day. Being alone in the middle of nowhere also provided me with a solitude that very few people get to experience. Each day of my journey had its own finish line, and each finish line was very different from the day before, and in large part that was a real motivator-get to the finish line so I could relax and celebrate that day's victory. This journey tested me in ways that I didn't anticipate. I trained for several months to prepare myself for this journey, but I was not prepared for everything I encountered on my walk. Sometimes life gives you unexpected opportunities to give, to learn, and to grow. This book describes what happens when you push yourself beyond your comfort zone and embrace whatever life brings you with open eyes and an open heart.