The Pilgrim in the Mirror

by Blaine Rada | Plainfield, IL

I arrived at the albergue to find the only available bottom bunk being used as a storage area for a pilgrim’s cycling gear. While this is only my anecdotal experience, the pilgrims on bikes seem to have a different vibe than those who are walking. They tend to only socialize with fellow cyclists, and the Camino seems to be more exercise than pilgrimage. The cyclist wasn’t there when I arrived, and after confirming my understanding of what was happening with other pilgrims, I moved his gear to a top bunk so I could settle in and get off my feet.

When he returned with his riding partner, he seemed irritated that I had moved his belongings (I would be too), but due to my lack of Spanish and his lack of English, we couldn’t really talk about it. I noticed the other cyclist appeared to be very ill. His bunk was next to mine, and the farthest I could keep my head away from him was only a few feet.

During the night, the sick pilgrim couldn’t sleep, so he lay in his bed coughing, snorting, sneezing, and watching a variety of things on his phone. Even with my eyes closed I could “see” the flashing images through my eyelids, which kept me awake. I was also worried about catching whatever illness he had. After a few hours, I’d had enough; I gathered up my bedding and belongings and went upstairs to the kitchen, where I sat in a chair with my head on the table and tried to get some sleep. It was a miserable night, and I couldn’t believe this guy had no concern for his fellow pilgrims sharing the albergue space.

In hindsight, I also can’t believe my attitude. Even while on Camino, my tendency to judge others came through. If I had followed my internal yellow arrows, I would have shown more compassion. I would have been more concerned about his wellbeing or offered to help in some way. Instead, I was only thinking of myself. The cyclist was a mirror reflecting an image of myself I’m not proud of.

The hardest person to see clearly is ourselves.