The Great Cultural Leveler
The Great Cultural Leveler
by Kurt Fauser | Keller, TX
Recently I returned from my fourth Camino. Opting to do things differently than my previous Caminos, I chose to walk solo, discarding expectations, remaining open and approachable, focused on going with the flow and enjoying each moment. I also chose not to make reservations but rather to enjoy the freedoms available and to let the Camino provide. I met pilgrims from over 30 countries and shared great moments with them. Some were young, some old, some male, some female, and some held different beliefs, opinions, and backgrounds from my own.
I used to think humans were not all the same and that we were designed to be different. Walking the Camino, however, can transform one’s beliefs and convince us we are more similar than different. We come from different places, upbringings, and cultural backgrounds. We start our Caminos with preconceived notions. We are advised not to take any expectations and may experience some magic. We exchange our routines to live at a different pace. We focus on the present and set aside our various everyday worries and concerns. What a liberating experience to disconnect from the daily grind and to enjoy simplicity.
During our journey, we meet people. We don’t know what those brief encounters might bring, but the door opens! The next thing we know, we are better acquainted with fellow pilgrims than we are with lifelong friends. The Camino has become the Great Leveler, putting in my path people I would not have been drawn to at home.
As I traveled Spain, I made memorable connections through shared experiences. Walking and swapping stories and experiences were a great way to pass the time and lighten our burdens. As we covered topics ranging from food, family, faith, marvelling together at beautiful landscapes we passed, and sharing music and laughter, the kilometers just melted away. Some conversations were heavy and full of grief, guilt, sadness, and others were bursting with gratitude and joy, or simply quiet with peace and love. Whatever the topic, the experience was always therapeutic.
As a result, we now find ourselves more alike than different. Our differences make us more unique; we find that the world is a little smaller because we now know someone from a faraway place. A person is no longer a stranger and the place they come from, once unfamiliar and maybe intimidating, is no longer strange. When we open ourselves to this kind of thinking, the world becomes that much better a place to live.
