Sunday: A Day of Musing (6/12/2016)

First a correction from my last post: I mis-spoke about the size of the upcoming villages. I couldn't find the one that is population 20. Last night we stayed in the village of Hornillos, population 60. 

I think this is the only street through Hornillos, population 60!

I’ve decided I (mostly) like to walk and I suspect that I will miss long walks when life returns to normal. It is a gift to wake up in the morning and only have one thing to do: walk. And generally, we are done by around 1. This is a good thing, because we can get into our place for the night, take showers and wash out our laundry, and then start thinking about dinner.

But, I digress…

What I like about walking is the chance to just let my brain wander. I appreciate the chance to ponder things. I stroll along, sometimes with tunes playing in my ear, and I pray for people who come to mind, especially those who have sought our prayers for particular issues, and I pray for our St Anne’s family who recently lost a son far too young.

I think about what God is showing me as the “secret of the day.” And I walk.

Today, my musing was about something Rachel and I have talked about several times. As we journey, it is important to turn around occasionally and see where we’ve been. We do this fairly often as we reach a peak or a high point. It’s fun to turn around and see the path off in the distance and think, “Wow, we made it through all of that!”

It seems like current thought processes are trending on “Don’t look back. Keep moving forward.” And while I do think it is important to keep our primary focus on the here and now and look forward to what lies ahead, I still think it is important to take a moment every so often and look back at where we’ve been. To acknowledge the challenges, the struggles and the low points that have formed us, strengthened us, and guided us to where we are today.

Now, I will say that it’s probably not a good idea to look back during the low points. We don’t see much, so the past isn’t very clear. It’s far better to look back after a heaving climb. Catch your breath, look around and celebrate where you’ve been.

Ok. This one isn't looking back. It's looking into the town where we're spending the night. :)

Buen Camino, Y’all!