We are staying at a lovely house with our host Lilica in a small community halfway between Portogruaro and Treviso. I offered to cook spaghetti carbonara and she laughed and said that’s what she was going to make. She insisted on making us dinner and we had a lively conversation through the meal. We toasted Google Translate, that allowed us to talk freely about everything from work to politics.
She was very concerned when I mentioned that an Italian guy we met on Facebook was helping us on our journey. Andrea is the fellow who planned and marked the Via Postumia. Lilica warned us of all the scams and scoundrels and predicted that sooner or later he would start asking us for money, or worse. She warned us not to let people know where we are on the trail, especially if we are separated for much of the day. She repeatedly warned us not to trust anyone until we met them face to face.
Am I too naive? Too trusting? Perhaps. It does make me think twice about posting my location on a large public Facebook group. But it’s a Camino group! I love travelling on a Camino and leaving my hyper-vigilance at home. I love connecting with pilgrims whether in person or through these groups.
I think I will risk it. Connections with others are golden. The connection we made with our host tonight was a perfect example of why I want to let my guard down a little. I’m willing to risk a bit for this. I want to be open hearted and believe in the best in people. If I don’t, then I’m left living my life in fear.
I am inspired by the words that Jack Layton left us before he died.
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.
Wow Ruth. A great way to think! It is also how I live my life. When I was travelling in the USA, I always offered hostel people a car ride if they were going my way. Because of this I met my dear Joerg and have had many years of great times and experiences because of that. Hugs!
Exactly Julie! I’m so glad you are planning a Camino. Hugs
Trust in Allah but tie up your camel.
You have a lot of chutzpah offering to make pasta for an Italian! 😂 Love it!!!!
I know! Crazy !
Good for you, Ruth! I commend you for refusing to succumb to the temptation to live in fear as that is not really living. Love the Jack Layton quote (with all due respect to St Francis of Assisi, whose prayer was to have the Lord make him an instrument of peace); and altho it’s not unusual in today’s world to secularize profundity, since you’re on a pilgrimage, (and your name is Ruth – which has biblical origins of dignity and stoicism rather than the lack thereof – as in ruthless) please forgive me for sharing the remainder of that prayer. “where there is hatred let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith;where despair, hope; where darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.
(Moreover, let us) seek less to be consoled than to console and less to be understood as to understand; less to be loved than to love. For it is in giving that we receive and in pardoning that we are pardoned… .
(Please forgive me the “essay” or sermon but now that you are in the homeland where I spent two years as a missionary 45 plus years ago, I couldn’t restrain myself(!) cheers
Beautiful! Thanks Hu that was definitely Layton’s inspiration too. There is a Saint Francis way pilgrimage here to Assisi. I’d like to do it some day.
Oh the lavender!
Being a tall assertive woman can be an advantage when travelling. What’s your protective quality Gord? 🙃