Everyone Walks Their Own Camino

There’s a phrase you hear often on the Camino: “Everyone walks their own Camino.” It’s repeated so frequently it risks becoming a cliché—but out here on the path, it proves true again and again.Some pilgrims plan every detail months in advance, reserving each night’s accommodation before they even lace up their boots. Others embrace uncertainty, walking until they’re ready to stop and trusting that something will work out when they arrive. Some carry everything they need on their backs, feeling each step more deeply because of the weight they bear. Others opt for luggage transfers, freeing themselves to walk with lighter loads and quieter minds. There are as many ways to walk the Camino as there are pilgrims on the path—and none is inherently better or more “righteous” than another. (I do have my own thoughts about what we’ve done on previous journeys, what we’re doing this time, and what we might do differently in the future—but that’s a story for another post.)What does surprise me,…