I'm no Shirley MacLaine

I've had a lot of time to ponder the future. Blustery cold winds isolate me leaving my imagination to plan for the future. Certainly, I dream about sunny skies and warm ocean temperatures and I believe I will have that again...I just don't know when.

A reoccurring dream I've had on the back burner several years is to walk the El Camino de Santiago. That is the 500 mile trek that starts in the south of France and goes through northern Spain ending at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela on the northern coast of Spain. It is a Christian pilgrimage but that doesn't deter me. Along the path there are monasteries and tiny villages to stop and rest and refuel before trekking onward.

At first I thought the trek was only 300 miles...I could rationalize that mileage. I figured if I did 10 miles a day and rested 1 day a week I could complete the trek in about 40 days....a good number for a pilgrimage. Jesus always did things in 40 day increments and it makes sense. You've got to get adjusted for a couple of weeks before really getting into the groove of any life change. Jesus didn't write too much when he went into the desert to face the devil for 40 days. I don't remember exactly how the story went, but I think he felt better after facing the devil...isn't that a metaphor for his own internal devils? Knowing how the bible works, I'd guess that he faced the actual devil.

NOTE:On Cartoon Network's Adult Swim they have a very clever 15 minute animated cartoon called "Lucy: Daughter of the Devil". She's the Antichrist that is dating Jesus Christ who is an awesome DJ and all about keeping the beat and groove going. I only bring it up because I like the idea of artists attacking the traditional visions of the Devil. This devil wears Bill Cosby sweaters and he has a pot belly. Clever show...I recommend it. Oh, I don't have much TV and watch everything online at www.adultswim.com

I have a girlfriend who started a 40 day fast on May 2nd. She's facing her own demons...an ending of her 3rd marriage, ending her job, she needs divine inspiration and fasting for 40 days can do that. There's no way I could fast for 40 days but I can understand the attraction for sure.

A 40 day pilgrimage seems like a good way to discover what my real purpose is...but I realize that there is no real purpose in life...simply living is the goal, this I know and it is interesting to see what fears come up for me.

The first is living without my cell phone. While I don't really use it much, I talk to Karen Sevenoff everyday for at least 30 minutes....some days we talk for about an hour. I've realized how much I depend on these phone calls. That was pretty interesting. She's my primary relationship these days.

The other fear that came up was me living without my computer for that length of time. I've become addicted to my computer while living in Seattle.

Living without my cell phone and computer would probably be a good task for me...but then there's the whole physical aspect of the trek. Shirley MacLaine did the walk at the age of 65 and she did it in 30 days...20 miles a day! I'm no Shirley MacLaine, that's for damned sure! That woman has been working out since birth. I've started re-reading the book she wrote about it and she's complaining about the pain of the path.

But if a 65 year old woman can do it, can't I?

It is much to ponder during the chaotic weather of Seattle. Snow is predicted in the mountains tonight. First time in over 50 years that snow has come this late.

That's where my head is today.

So much love,
All the way from over here...
Linda