First off I’m so glad we took this day. I mean sure we could’ve gotten up and walked but I do think our bodies wouldn’t have been kind to us.

In Saint Quentin, France we joined the Via Francigena which is the pilgrimage from Canterbury, England to Rome and on to Jerusalem. We will be on this route until Reims, France where we will be walking the Via Campaniensis to Vezelay.

This has been a difficult journey in terms of finding stops along the way to have a breakfast or lunch or just a rest. We have been pretty fortunate for finding places to sleep and are very much looking forward to simpler accommodations especially on the camino Francés. (Maybe even the Vezelay and Le Puy de Valei).

I love the feeling of having everything I need on my back. I’m pretty sure my spirit animal is a turtle 🐢!! But…There is a toll physically when you are carrying a backpack and walking day in and day out. It is super important to listen to your body when it protests. Again another life lesson.

There’s a different sensation mentally and spiritually or emotionally if you prefer. I will go into the spiritual another time. Remind me if I forget. But I want to mention the mental.

Noël and I don’t walk listening to music often. So the sounds of the environment are what we hear plus the conversation in our own minds oh snd there is occasionally the conversation with each other. When walking along busy roads you feel a chaos within you-constant noise, distractions, even fear.

While in nature you are more relaxed listening to the birds, water, wind etc. It also allows you to think. This is such a good opportunity to process. I’ve been doing a lot of processing. More on that later.

Again thank you for walking with us and for supporting us with your notes, comments and gofundme.

Prayers for you as you journey each day!!

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