This is an account of what the middle of loss looks like: the loss of a beloved parent, a job, a professional identity, and a home. This is neither a detailed history of the beginning of those losses nor their end- the final outcome is still a work in progress. This is about the scary, mushy, black middle, after all the disasters have already come crashing down and you are forced to step into and over the debris every time you force yourself to get out of bed in the morning. Walking part of the way across northern Spain in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims going back to the 9th century inexplicably felt like the perfect way to literally and figuratively move forward. This book is an account of my experience on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in the fall of 2011 (with a chapter to detail the 'back story'). There is a spectrum of motivating factors that draw people to the Camino. On one end are those who take the spirituality and the historical depth of the religious experience associated with the Camino very seriously. On the other are those for whom the sheer physicality of walking or biking across such a challenging expanse is irresistible. In between are people with a range of motivations, many combining some of the elements from both ends. As for me, I was somewhat of an outlier, motivated by neither end of the spectrum. I was simply running away. I suspect I was not the first pilgrim to seek an escape into the anonymity and in-the-moment demands of life on the Camino nor will I be the last to discover that at the literal end of the road, as most runaways eventually learn, I ultimately found myself. And as it turned out, that was and continues to be more than enough. Part personal memoir, part travelogue, with myths, legends, historical anecdotes and architectural highlights, this is an account of a journey along the Camino de Santiago de Compostela from the first disastrous day when the trip almost ended to the final glance back at the Cathedral of Santiago from the bus heading for the airport. Ultimately, it is a testimony to the healing power of living in the moment.
About the Author: Jo Paluzzi has had careers in both nursing and education. She combined those interests and her considerable expertise and varied experience into her most recent professional experience as a medical anthropologist and international health consultant. Jo currently lives in rural Oregon.