The Vision to See Everyday Small Miracles
The Vision to See Everyday Small Miracles
by Carole Warren | Mesa, AZ
“The Camino Provides” is a familiar phrase among pilgrims. Call it magical or spiritual, but divine intervention has a way of providing pilgrims with just what they need. One of my favorite moments was finding a refrigerator full of cold water bottles. Hot, thirsty, and out of water, my husband, John, and I came upon a full-sized refrigerator dragged to the end of a driveway, plugged into a long extension cord. We gratefully left a generous donation.
On our first day out of Pamplona, while we were deep in conversation about converting kilometers to miles, a local man caught our attention. “¿Peregrinos, sí?” I nodded. He pointed to a blue sign with a shell that we had nonchalantly missed. Apparently, we should have turned right and crossed the street. Oops! “Gracias, Señor.” Once back on track, we took a moment to acknowledge, “The Camino does provide.”
Kind words or unexpected conversations can lift one’s spirits in moments of struggle. Among the beautiful high mountain vegetation, I was struggling physically. Miles passed before we finally came across a long bench-like rock. While resting and snacking, my hangry mood lifted. And along came Missy. She claimed John and I looked so cute sitting together on the rock and wanted to take our picture to remember the moment. We shared with her how the Camino provided the rock to rest. Missy told us about her husband’s death five years earlier, and about how seeing our togetherness uplifted her. It was a special moment of reciprocal encouragement.
It is often small acts of kindness that become the most powerful. Moments such as sharing water, blister bandages, or Tiger Balm with those in need. Or walking with a solo hiker to keep her company. It was our conversation with Elise that helped build her confidence after getting lost the day before. When pilgrims receive what they need at just the right moment, it creates a sense of faith in the journey and in the goodwill of others.
The Camino Spirit teaches qualities such as openness and generosity. May my eyes remember to see the small miracles that happen around me everyday and to always be grateful for the amazing journey I took.
