Where am I? Acebo
How far did I walk today? 27.7 km / 17.2 miles

Today was the first of a couple of mountain stages on the border between the provinces of Castille & Leòn and Galacía. I was a little nervous about the climb, but it was not that bad.

I still generally prefer flat terrain, but the sights looking into the valleys were phenomenal. The trees and plants are different here as well – no wheat fields today.

I visited one of the major Camino landmarks today as well – Cruz de Ferro. It’s the highest point of the Camino, and it is customary to carry a rock or stone with you to deposit at this monument. The stone is to symbolize leaving burdens or sins behind.

I meant to bring one from home, but forgot. On the flight, I remembered and said I’ll pick one up in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port. There was so much going on at that point, I forgot there too. While looking ahead in the guidebook, I realized I was still missing a stone and picked one up coming from León on Friday.

While I didn’t literally pack a rock to carry, I did have a burden to leave behind. I’ve carried guilt over a series of events beyond my control for several years now. These events changed me personally and professionally in a negative way, and I need to move on.

If you look directly below the iron pole in the photo, the small red stone I left may stick out a little. Yet it still is a rock on a giant pile of rocks. My story stands out a bit as well because of the context, but we all have some baggage that we quietly carry.

I’m not ignoring or forgetting what happened, but I need to reframe my perspective on it. In the long run, there will always be a metaphorical battle scar from that episode, but I also need to accept that I’ve learned from the experience and am stronger for it.

Overall, it was another good day. I’m tentatively looking at arriving in Santiago one week from now. Hopefully my feet cooperate!