We go together
Feb 28, 2025
We go together.
Last night was the kick-off meeting of the 2025 Camino Club - the first gathering of the amazing women who are joining me to build a community that will walk the Camino de Santiago together later this year.
“Community” is the perfect word to describe what we create together. We have countless stories from last year’s trip of everyone showing up for everyone else in support and celebration:
- C. loved how even though she finished each day near the back of the pack, everyone else waited to cheer her on.
- S. turned her room into a community healing space where everyone shared supplies like muscle cream, ibuprofen and massage tools.
- K. got to wear a rain poncho that KF. brought, just in case someone had forgotten rain gear.
- N. handed out small “Just Kindness” gifts to many she met on the trail and we have photographic evidence of how much people loved that.
- M. brought her artistry to each day’s walking map, turning it into a work of art that she shared with the group.
- The speedy jack-rabbits of our group turned around and walked back to the more leisurely back-rabbits as we approached the Iron Cross, so we could all walk to it together.
- At the end, everyone linked arms and walked into the plaza in front of the cathedral - our official finish line. Everyone was first and everyone was last.
It reminds me that no matter what we do in the world, there’s unlimited power in doing it with others. That we humans LIKE to be together. That when we come together, there’s no telling what we can create with that magic.
Tonight I get to see several of last year’s Camino Club members for dinner. This group has stayed connected and active even though we have no more “official” commitments. That alone feels like one of my greatest accomplishments. I assembled a community that has no directive to stay together and yet they really want to. I get to watch them show up for each other: supporting, cheering and celebrating.
It’s why my mantra is We go together. It’s why I lead groups through this Camino experience: because you can have a richer, fuller, more vibrant experience going with others.
