On Quadra Island I found a poorly used trail, but there was evidence of the people who had ventured there before me having chosen to make it easier for those of us who came next. There was a rope, almost camouflaged by the mature moss covering it, that had been hung as a kind of proof of human kindness. I saw it as a reminder that we are all connected through the paths we choose in life, and the helpful touches we leave behind as we journey along. This type of simple act of trail-making, of easing the way for unknown future travellers, would come to mean even more to me on another journey, thousands of miles away.
When I was walking the Camino de Santiago, I had a mystical experience. After 14 days and 550 km, I was tired. So, we decided to end the day's travel at the beautiful Montserrat Monastery and Nature Park. WOW! Even though my feet were still sore, that didn’t stop me from wanting to summit the incredible mountains I was looking up at.
It was an awe-inspiring journey up. The cliffs of conglomerate rock rose before us like ancient guardians, their smooth surfaces leading up to jagged peaks in varying shades of grey that caught the morning light. So much beauty revealed itself to us, and miracles unfolded as we trekked. I became aware, too, that the vertical climb actually felt representative of my horizontal journey.
Day after day, as we walked along the Camino I was sometimes astounded to look at my watch and realize that 3 hours had flown by, one step at a time. Walking was all there was to do. This simple, repetitive act invited a new relationship to time and space that sent me deeper into myself.
Then, here I now was, making my way up an impossible summit, slipping on scree, grabbing at small bushes for stability. I found myself wondering about the first people here - how was it that they could even envision traversing this slope? Yet, traverse it they did, for there was evidence of their footsteps in the caves where monks of old had sought refuge (or a space to commune with their inner selves and that … 'Something Greater' they quested for a deeper knowledge of).
The mountain trail continued, narrow and steep, until, after some time, we came to the top. Here, the world opened up before us in a tapestry of valleys and peaks that stretched to the horizon and beyond. Finally, the wind was all around us, cooling us from our arduous climb.
Throughout my Camino journey, I came across various landmarks where people had felt compelled to leave behind aspects of themselves - mementos representing their experiences. Yet, it wasn’t until I sat for some time in this place above all the world that I, too, felt called by the desire to leave a piece of myself behind.
It happened when I was drawn to a small tree/bush growing out of the rock. I hadn’t planned to make an offering, but the desire to do so had now become strong within me. I wondered what might be something special - something meaningful - that I could lay down as a representation of the gratitude I was feeling for this opportunity and for my life.
The answer came to me in a wave of realization. My necklace! It was a gift I had received from my son and his family, and for many years the seraphanite in it was the only stone that felt right for me to wear. I had tried other necklaces, but I always came back to this one.
Seraphinite is known to be a journey protector. It is said to serve as a reminder of strength embodied. I had learned this about it: 'In order to make sudden changes, one must have total trust in themselves and a high level of confidence. Seraphinite is the ultimate talisman for those who are ready for a fresh start that is full of new beginnings and endless opportunities. The Universe sees these shifts, and rewards those who follow their dreams.’
In the days that followed after releasing the amulet that had been with me for so long, I felt a sensation that something was missing. I would unconsciously reach towards where it used to sit around my neck, momentarily forgetting I had made a gift of it. Each time this happened, though, I was brought back to the moment on Montserrat where I had left my necklace hanging from a branch, offering its wisdom and its light, watching over all, and swinging high up where I could send messages of love and light back to it at any time. I knew it would energize those messages and shower light back to those I love all over the world.
By now, perhaps someone has found the amulet and moved it. I am ok with that. It still carries so much of me, yet, like all of creation, it has a journey of its own. Who knows where it was before me, and who knows where it will travel next?
Life is like this. We find the trails of others that we may choose to follow, like that moss covered rope on Quadra Island, reaching through time to help unknown travellers. We make new paths of our own, and we have no idea of the greater ripple effect they may have. Sometimes, we leave pieces of ourselves behind - a rope, a necklace, a worn trail through the wilderness. I like to think of these offerings as small acts of faith that somehow, somewhere, light the way for another soul on their own unique journey.