BUEN CAMINO!

By Linda Harvey

Has an item ever made its way to your bucket list that surprised you? That's how I felt when something totally unexpected popped up on my radar in August of 2021.

At that time, we were one and a half years into the worst pandemic in U.S. history. As a compliance expert, I coached dental practices across the country through shutting down, reopening, and navigating several renditions of the CDC’s COVID-19 protocols. Added to that was my own loss of a parent in a nursing home and being a caregiver for my husband through several difficult surgeries. By August of 2021, I was completely drained. Although I knew my experiences were not particularly unique, I was truly weary of this journey.

There were days during the peak of the pandemic when my family didn’t even leave our house. Some days I barely left my computer. My body was screaming at me to get up and move! So in December of 2021, wondering if I’d lost my mind, I officially signed up for a ten-day, 125mile pilgrimage across the northern part of Spain. It was the Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James. For centuries pilgrims have traveled from across the globe to walk one of the ancient paths to Santiago, Spain, where tradition holds that the remains of St. James are buried.

Oh boy, would I be moving on this adventure! Our Camino (which is Spanish for path or road) would commence in Roncesvalles, Spain, and end ten days later in the plaza of the Cathedral of St. James in Santiago. Exhausted as I was, I was ready for a hard reset. And I welcomed the opportunity to immerse myself in the spiritual experience of the pilgrims that had gone before me.

To prepare for this 125-mile adventure, the soon-to-be pilgrims in our group were sent a training guide and a suggested packing list. This was the first trip I’d ever undertaken where even casual attire wasn't particularly needed; hiking clothes and boots were the core essentials, especially the boots. I was determined to break in my new hiking boots well in advance and build up to longer walks each week. But alas, about three weeks before departure, I developed a shin splint. Treatment required no walking at all for two weeks and being careful after that. My heart sank! So much for the best-laid plans. As with the ongoing COVID pivots, I knew I had to pivot. At that point, my practical side kicked in. I realized I would not be walking the entire 125 miles, and that was OK. I finally concluded it was much better that I go healthy and return healthy and, importantly, that pivoting would not impact the richness of my experiences.

We were a diverse group from across the county on a spiritual quest. What tied us together? We were all pilgrims on this ever-changing journey of life, a journey with twists and turns just like the Camino paths we would encounter. Some terrain was smooth and flat, some narrow and rocky, and some were very steep.

Our tour guide stressed the importance of traveling light each day. In our day pack, we only needed things like water, sunscreen, and a few small personal items. Unlike many of the other pilgrims who were walking solo or in small groups and carrying everything on their backs, our tour bus met us at specified points each day and carried our luggage. This enabled us to easily refill our water bottles or ride to the next meet point if needed. Many days it was much more meaningful to me to refuel at a local café, practice my Spanish, and enjoy a cold beverage for a few minutes with new friends, then set out on the next leg of the journey.

Traveling light on the Camino was much less burdensome than the baggage we carry in our personal and professional lives; worries, disappointments, or unfinished business can weigh us down. I found that traveling light made it much easier to find peace, enjoy the journey, and recharge despite being exhausted at the end of each day. One way I had chosen to travel light was to move every work-related app from the home screen on my phone. I consciously decided work had no place on the Camino. Rather than being a slave to my phone, it would now serve me in capturing Camino memories and listening to inspiring music along the way.

But there were the blisters! As hard as I tried, there was no escaping the dreaded blisters. However, unwelcome as they were, they were like badges of courage, a sign of a pilgrim on an enervating yet extremely rewarding journey. Camino lesson #1, some things in life are unavoidable, and we have to learn to work through them.

Step after step, mile after mile, day after day, we plodded across Spain. Sounds monotonous, doesn't it? But nothing could be farther from the truth. Each day brought new challenges, new faces, and beautiful scenery. Throughout our trek, we saw many historic sites, villages, and churches along the way. We walked through cities, villages, mesas, and hilly paths. I opted to nurse my healing shin and ride the bus in some of the hilly areas. Along with using sports tape, that seemed to be just the right combination for my personal Camino. Visiting the ancient chapels as well as the historic cathedrals were a welcome respite for a weary soul seeking to refuel spiritually and mentally. I felt enormously fulfilled and absorbed by the Camino. In many ways, I wanted it to last forever.

One fellow pilgrim spent an entire day observing doors. She observed old doors, new doors, and brightly colored doors, many of which were doors to people’s homes in local villages. She likened the doors to the people that we meet. Similar to faces, some doors were well-kept and inviting, while others seemed cold or dark, and others were worn and needed attention. I likened myself to the latter and was most grateful I had chosen to embark on what I knew—and welcomed to be a life-changing experience.

Her simple yet impactful insight about doors also reminded me of the unique needs of my family as well as each business colleague and client I served. Had I stopped taking time to actually observe or listen? Was I simply going through the motions in a relationship and simply checking off items on a list, like doors on our daily journey?

Just as we saw many interesting doors, we saw many friendly faces along the way. Some were other pilgrims who passed us as we walked, while others were residents of the friendly villages whose conveniences they warmly shared as we passed through. One constant was wishing one another a “Buen Camino” or “good walk” or lending a helping hand if someone needed blister advice or directions. No matter where the pilgrim was from or the language spoken, we were one big family on the Camino.

Being one of the slower walkers, I walked the majority of each day alone. I found that I didn’t need the company all day, day after day. Instead, I came to look forward to this time alone in the vast countryside. It gave me ample time to reflect and pray along the way and to soak up the beautiful sights that presented themselves for my enjoyment and gratitude. Every afternoon we met at the day’s endpoint and hopped on our bus to our destination for the night. We had a hearty dinner consisting of wonderful local cuisine and wine and great stories to share from the day. We had all walked the same path each day, yet it was interesting to hear what we each saw and experienced along the way. Taking in everyone’s insights and perspectives about the day’s journey only added to the richness of our personal Caminos.

On day 10, we finally reached our destination. Like most other days, I entered the city of Santiago alone and made my way to the designated plaza to meet the group. It was exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time, and hard not to be overcome with emotion. While I had not walked the entire 125 miles, I had walked more miles in the past 10 days than ever before. And I had the most indescribable experiences during that time.

I reflected back to the beginning of the journey when I had to pivot due to a simple shin splint. Have you ever had to adjust a much-desired goal? How did you handle it? I had chosen not to be weighed down by something I was unable to achieve, but rather to revel in what I could accomplish. I relearned the power of personal connections—both with the pilgrims in our tour group as well as with the numerous strangers I met along the way. One thing was for sure, I was now fully ready to continue my Camino experience. Part of that would mean saying “no” more to commitments that would weigh me down and not serve the good I wanted to achieve. If you are wondering, I will be saying “no” to writing a book about my adventures. Instead, I welcome the opportunity to connect more meaningfully with those I meet along life’s path.

About the author:

Linda Harvey, a nationally recognized healthcare risk management and compliance expert. When she’s not preparing for future Caminos, Linda helps dentists and teams navigate regulatory requirements. She is the founder and president of the Dental Compliance Institute as well as a compliance consulting firm. Her compliance coursework has earned the distinction of being Quality Matters™ Certified. Linda has worked in corporate risk management and has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow in the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management.