The end of the world

Ola Ola,

I am writing this from Finistera, where we arrived yesterday afternoon. We made it to Santiago three days ago, it was an amazing feeling to arrive there and stand in front of the cathedral. I couldn't´t believe I actually walked over 500 miles and arrived. We went to the pilgrims mass at noon and sat among hundreds of pilgrims many who we had at one point or another walked and talked with. The interior of the cathedral was magnificent, and at mass they swung the botafumerio, the (large incense burner), it was a really cool thing to see. There is so much of the experience that I can´t put into words.

As we walked to Finistera the final leg of our trip, I began thinking about a comment my aunt had made to me before I left. She asked me if I was going to find myself on this trip. I remarked that actually I was hoping to find a nice Spanish guy, (instead I found a nice German one, just kidding, Don´t worry dad.) In truth though, I don´t think you find yourself, because I don´t think there is a ¨you¨ out there somewhere else that is waiting to be discovered. I read a quote by Lord Cecil the other day and the quote went like this, ¨Solitude shows us what we should be; society shows us what we are.¨ Now I don´t entirely agree with this quote, but I think it argues a good point. As walking over 500 miles offers a lot of time for solitude, there is a certain amount of personal reflection that one is able to do. What I have come to realize is that it is not that society makes you into a person that is completely different from who you really are, and that when you are on trips or spending time away from society, that you become this more real person,I just think that with all the things to do in everyday life, all the work, and social stuff, it becomes easy to lose sight of what the real ¨you¨ wants, likes and needs. The real ¨you¨ if you can call it that is always there, always influencing your decisions, even those that are made more in the name of society then in the name of what you really want or need.

So now this is where you might be thinking that I, having made it to the ¨end of the world¨, have had this wonderful insight into how one might go about taking all the things realized about one´s self in times of solitude and integrating them back into life among society. Truth is I have not a clue to that answer.
Last night I sat at what, until Columbus discovered America, was thought to be the end of the world. I sat there and watched one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen, and awhile after the sun set I looked up and there was the light from the lighthouse shinning out into the abyss of the dark ocean.

Maybe that is the answer, a lighthouse standing at the end of the world.

This is my final post, we head back to the states tomorrow. It has been great to share this trip with all of you. I am very grateful for all the comments.

Check back in a week or so if you feel like it and I will try to have some pictures posted.

Peace,

Amanda