The first time I got the idea to make the pilgrimage to Santiago, I was 25. I had read the novel by Paulo Coelho, The Pilgrimage.
At 38 years, thirteen years later, I still dream of the experience. A "great" works of over 800 kilometers where I could meditate on my life, an opportunity to meet people of various nationalities. I reflect on this thought of Confucius: "A human being loses his health to make money and then he loses his money to rebuild their health. He thinks the future, as to forget the present, so he saw neither the present nor the future. Finally, he lives as if he would never die and it dies as if no "had never lived"
I feel like leaving, but I still hesitate, I have real concerns I have to leave my girlfriend alone to look after our two young children for 40 days, I will have no income during this period, I'll probably have to reject contracts, my career could be affected. There is also the judgments of others. It will surprise many people: I have no typical profile of a person might be called a pilgrim, I work in cinema as camera assistant and I'm not going to mass. We'll have to justify to the family, friends, coworkers and answer this question: "but why a pilgrimage?"
I'm pretty quiet about my person when addressing the topic of spirituality. I do not speak unless someone approaches me on the subject. I think it's a personal subject where everyone develops his conception of life. If I tell my pilgrimage is not to convince anyone of anything whatsoever. Just to share with people interested, experience of an ordinary man who made a spiritual journey. Having reasoned
all my fears, I decided to take a pause to allow me to make the pilgrimage to Santiago in March 2004.
To begin, I go to a seminary in Sherbrooke or former pilgrims give us any information on equipment, transportation and training. Everything you need to know to have no problem.
I start my training, I walk 6 km per day, then I increase the distance gradually to 9 km. With my backpack loaded with a score books, I walk almost every day from November to March.
gradually I buy my gear, walking shoes, a backpack, linen, polyester, anti-blister socks and a plane ticket.
I read the biography of Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. I discover links between these men is the main message of the New Testament.
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