There’s something almost comic about the idea of being fully prepared for the Camino.
I’ve read the guides. Broken in the boots. Weighed the pack (again). Practiced with poles.
And still—there’s this quiet truth whispering underneath it all:
You’re never really ready. Not completely.
And maybe that’s the point.
Readiness is Not Perfection
There’s a part of me — perhaps the part that loves a good checklist — that wants everything to be polished before I go:
- No lingering questions
- No unspoken doubts
- No spiritual cobwebs in the corners
But what I’m discovering as August 3rd approaches is that pilgrimage doesn’t wait for perfection.
It only asks for willingness.
The God of the Not-Yet-Packed
The Hebrew Scriptures tell us that the Israelites wandered for forty years — carrying only what they could, trusting manna would come.
Jesus sent the disciples out two by two with hardly anything at all — no purse, no bag, no sandals. Just trust.
And still, I find myself fussing over what kind of soap to bring.
But God is not the God of the perfectly packed.
God is the God of the pilgrim. The walker. The one who dares to say, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”
Even if my socks are mismatched and my heart is a little cluttered.
A Spiritual Work-in-Progress
Part of my preparation now is letting go of the illusion that I need to arrive in Spain as some kind of polished priest with a soul ready to receive great revelations.
Instead, I’m choosing to arrive as I am:
A bit tired.
A bit hopeful.
A bit unready—and okay with that.
Because the road itself will do the work.
The Spirit will speak on the trail.
And grace… well, grace always meets us on the move.
Come Along the Way
So if you’re reading this and feeling like your own journey — spiritual or otherwise — is messy or uncertain, take heart.
God walks with unfinished people.
And so do I.
I’ll be blogging along the Camino starting August 3rd. You can walk with me, pray with me, and maybe find your own invitation to step into the unknown at:
👉 ddavidson.ca/blog_anglican_priest
Until then, know this:
The first step is always the same.
You don’t need to be ready.
You just need to begin.
Buen Camino, friends.
Fr. Don+