Feeling nourished after walking 500 miles

Bell peppers longer than an outstretched hand,

dahlias with petals of tightly bunched pink and orange,

blue-green kale plants wiggling in the wind---

these are the colors of Spain I´ll miss most.

I walked by innumerable gardens and orchards

filled with zinnias, tomatoes, and squashes.

I walked through towns where most homes boast fruit trees

and once a woman picked a few figs from her tree,

pressed them into my palm, smiling.

Of all the many memories of the 33 days I spent walking on the Camino de Santiago, it is the small kindnesses from strangers, the taste of fresh food, and the connections made with locals and international travelers alike that I cherish most.

On September 26, my mom and I arrived in Santiago. Those final days on the trail were bustling with hundreds of walkers as more people flooded the trail to walk the last 115 kilometers. The number of fellow pilgrims in the city exploded, and there was a palpable air of collective joy, pride, and awe.

Standing in front of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in a mecca of backpack-wearing, sunkissed, euphoric travelers was unbelievable. Since the 9th century, this place has held huge cultural and religious significance in Spain and worldwide as people walk to the place where the Apostle Santiago was buried. Though many people walk for various reasons, everyone in Santiago has done more than walk; we have become part of something much larger than ourselves.

I spent more than a month walking across a different country to slow down, hear people´s stories, and feel truly alive. I was amazed by hostel owners' warm hospitality and passersby's kindness, who pointed me back onto the trail when I wandered afar. Several times, restaurant owners offered to whip up special vegetarian meal options for me; once a man even walked out of his restaurant to gather lettuce and tomatoes from his garden to make my mom and me a salad. What a gift!

Walking by rows of corn rippling yellow and green,

and drawing faces in sunflowers.

Sharing paella dinners with dozens of new friends.

Turning back to watch the sunrise, always behind us,

and later dipping west to point our way forward.

I've filled my pockets with memories of

deep red chard planted in lines and side-stepping fallen chestnuts.

Memories of coffees shared with people I had just met,

and gratitude for a shower,

collecting dry socks off a clothesline,

a water fountain.

Surrounded by thousands of pilgrims in Santiago, it was surreal. The celebratory hugs, photos, tears, an amalgamation of peoples, cultures, and days walked to get here made for such palpable joy. But even more significant than the glorious end were the sweet, small interactions I had with local people, the food I got to eat right from the land, and the sounds and smells of being outside all day that nourished my soul.

Since leaving Spain, I have spent time meditating on what it means to feel nourished, hoping to recreate some of my favorite aspects of walking on the Camino. I am excited to integrate more cooking, drawing, poetry and other life-giving activities into my life. The Camino was a living classroom, and from this experience, my mind and heart broke open in many new ways. I´m excited to share more about the logistics of my trip and the histories I learned, but first, I wanted to share the little things.

I hope that wherever you are and whatever you may be doing, there are little things lighting your soul on fire.