Gifts of Going & Staying

by James R. Brooks | Hagerstown, MD

My first camino overflowed with gifts. Sabbatical time from the church I served. A financial grant from the Lilly Foundation funding my renewal activities. Grace from my family who coped with my absence.  Most special was the name tag given by the woman who would become my wife.

“Where you go, I will go and where you stay, I will stay.” From the book of Ruth. These were the words on the leather name tag she gave me for my backpack. My contact information was on the other side.  

It was 40 days from my front door to Santiago de Compostela. This included my trip from the United States to St. Jean Pied de Port where I began my walk. I took four rest days to explore places such as Burgos and Astorga. My way was 34 days of walking with my leather tag next to my American Pilgrims on the Camino patch and my university patch.

The woman who would become my wife: Amy is her name. She did not know that I carried a ring in my pack. An emerald engagement ring I hoped she would accept when she met me at the end of my Camino. Many days, as I sat in church pews to say my prayers, I would sneak out the emerald ring and ponder our life together.  

I was blessed with a wonderful “Camino family.” Two, actually. My first Camino family helped me arrive at Pamplona, then we scattered our separate ways. I found my second Camino family in Los Arcos. We grew to such a size we took over a restaurant in Santiago to celebrate the evening of our arrival. None knew of the ring in my pack. It felt too private for me to share until Amy accepted it.  

That would happen in Paris, atop the Eiffel Tower, after days spent being tourists with my parents and two of our children in Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona. Through a fear of dropping the ring over the side, I managed to propose. She wore the ring as we descended the tower together.

The Camino has transformed our lives. Amy and I have walked twice since. Once from Porto and once from O Cebreiro. Our compostelas are framed in our home. She sent me off with the gift of her love and a bit of scripture. Now the Camino is forever part of our going and staying.