Author Archives: deandondavidson

As I near the beginning of my Camino pilgrimage, something unexpected has been happening. I find myself thinking less about what I still need to bring—and more about what I’m finally ready to leave behind. Packing for a pilgrimage isn’t just about shirts and socks and a rain cover.It’s about letting go. Letting go ofContinue reading “Preparing to Walk: Letting Go”

As I walk in preparation for the Camino, I’ve been thinking more and more about encounter. We often imagine sacredness in terms of places — cathedrals, shrines, quiet chapels — but there’s another kind of sacred ground:the space between people. And that sacredness reveals itself in some of the most ordinary ways. A stranger whoContinue reading “Preparing to Walk: Sacred Encounters Along the Way”

As I prepare to walk the Camino de Santiago, I’ve been spending time with the namesake of this journey — St. James the Apostle, or as he’s known across Spain and around the world, Santiago. His story is woven into the heart of this pilgrimage.Not because he was the most polished or the most prominentContinue reading “Preparing to Walk: The Story and Ministry of St. James”

As the days count down and my pack grows lighter, one question has been sitting with me more and more: How do I make this more than a hike?How do I walk the Camino — not just with my body — but with my soul? Because let’s be honest: the Camino is a physical challenge.ThereContinue reading “Preparing to Walk: Making the Camino a Holy Journey”

As I walk in preparation for the Camino de Santiago, one of the most unexpected lessons has been this: Sometimes the holiest thing you can do is stop. Not push.Not press on.Not muscle through. Just stop.Rest.Breathe. Learning to Pause Taking a break doesn’t always come naturally.Many of us have been trained to measure progress byContinue reading “Preparing to Walk: The Grace of Taking a Break”

As I prepare for the Camino de Santiago, I’ve been walking more at home — on quiet local trails, through town, along rivers and wooded paths. And something beautiful keeps happening. I keep meeting people. Some stop to chat. Others smile in passing. A few become brief companions on the road — a dog walker,Continue reading “Preparing to Walk: The People We Meet Along the Way”

As I continue preparing for the Camino, I’ve been thinking a lot about pace. Not speed.Not performance.But something deeper. Because I’m learning that when you walk slowly — on purpose — something sacred begins to happen. Letting the Walk Become Prayer We often think of prayer as something we do with words.A posture. A timeContinue reading “Preparing to Walk: The Prayer of a Slower Pace”

One of the gifts of preparing to walk the Camino de Santiago has been learning to walk slowly—on purpose. Not just to build endurance or break in boots, but to actually notice where I am. And here’s what I’ve been finding:There’s so much beauty around us that we usually miss. A wildflower growing between twoContinue reading “Preparing to Walk: The Beauty We Almost Miss”

As the days grow shorter before departure, my prayers grow longer.They stretch across names and needs. They linger in the silence of early morning.They rise up with each footstep on the Humber Trail. Because the Camino — at its heart — is not a holiday.It is a prayer on foot. And that has me asking:WhoContinue reading “Preparing to Walk: Praying Along the Way”

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 partContinue reading “Holy Unfinished: The Grace of Getting Ready”