Day 33 light on the way

Day 33 “Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

One of the aspect of the camino is to decide what time you are going to leave the albergue in the morning and start walking. An albergue is a place to stay quite inexpensive for pilgrims. It is normally a dorm like setting, with shared toilet and shower facilities. Sometimes there is also a shared meal.

So there are some pilgrims who prefer to sleep in and start walking later. Other pilgrims get up and start walking just as the sun is rising. And then there are other pilgrims who start in the dark, before the sun has arrived and while the weather is still cool sometimes very cool.

There are positives and negatives about all three but let’s simply focus on the early risers and our words of encouragement from the psalmist for today’s blog.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.”

Early risers do well to have a headlamp on so that they can see where they are going; so that they can find the arrows and shells that mark the way; so that they can see if there is a stone protruding from the path and not trip. Some pilgrims do not have headlamps and are grateful to walk with someone who has one. Some use a flashlight or their phone but that is a little more cumbersome because of trying to juggle walking sticks and water bottles and maybe a guidebook. The headlamp is really the best way to walk in the dark. It’s there but it simply shines out lighting your way, helping you to see, giving you help and hope.

I believe the psalmist saw God’s presence and word in much the same way…as a light in dark times, a hope in hopeless situations, a peace when chaos reigned, a way when one got lost.