Day 40

Day 40: El Ganso to Acebo – 24.1 km

Today I reached la Cruz de Ferro (the Iron Cross)!

Cruz de Ferro is a significant waymarker on the road to Santiago. It is the place where pilgrims bring a stone from their home country/community to place at the foot of the cross. Symbolizing our collective journey.

I didn’t actually bring a rock from home. I hope that doesn’t disappoint you. But it wasn’t something I felt called to do before leaving.

I did have a stone to place on the pile, however. Two actually. One that Randy brought for himself and one he was carrying for a friend. Since he didn’t get to walk to the cross this time around he asked me to carry out this task for him.

Some of you might recall that I thought I would leave my embrace key here. As a reminder that “to embrace” can mean to close your arms around someone or something. But it can also mean to open your arms/heart/self to everyone and everything. Like Jesus did on the cross when He stretched His arms out wide. For all of us.

I didn’t leave the key here, however. Choosing to give it to Randy before we left Leon. Because he fully embraced me: the good, the bad, the smelly. And he fully embraced the Camino: a journey all his own, that will continue to shape the amazing person he already is. And he has come to fully embrace life: living it, breathing it, sharing it. And I know I’m not the only one who is grateful for that.

But I didn’t need the key to remind me why I am here. In fact, I think it is more symbolic that I gave the key away, and carried instead stones for a person I know well and one who is a stranger to me.

Because that is what my journey is about. To stretch my arms open wide. Wide enough that all are included. The ones I know and love. And the ones I don’t yet know. To give and give and give. To receive from God and His children. And give some more. To do my part to extend the invitation to God’s table. And in turn my own.