Today’s walk passed a wine-fountain! Meaning: A tap protruding from
the outside wall of a winery, where you could fill up your water bottle (with
wine) for free. I did!
Earlier in the day, I followed an instinct to make a detour to a semi-abandoned
church that was a few hundred metres off the trail. Inside were two altars
covered with notes, flowers and rocks. Pilgrims had been coming in for years and
leaving them there as offerings to loved ones. I sat there for a long time, taking in the depth of the space. I also
re-read the day's poem (below) which was chosen over breakfast by two pilgrims from Wisconsin.
As it happened, that evening, I found myself lost in a deep sense of
loneliness and isolation, missing friends from home, and struggling to connect
with the people around me. Hafiz offered some solace:
‘Have patience’
‘So what if the music has stopped for a while…..’
My
sweet crushed angel – Hafiz (1325-1390)
As
translated / interpreted by Daniel Ladinsky (1948-)
You have not danced so badly, my dear,
Trying to hold hands with the Beautiful One.
You have waltzed with great style,
My sweet, crushed angel,
To have ever neared God’s heart at all.
Our Partner is notoriously difficult to follow,
And even His best musicians are not always easy
To hear.
So what if the music has stopped for a while.
So what
If the price of admission to the Divine
Is out of reach tonight.
So what, my dear,
If you do not have the ante to gamble for Real Love.
The mind and the body are famous
For holding the heart ransom,
But Hafiz knows the Beloved’s eternal habits.
Have patience,
For He will not be able to resist your longing
For Long.
You have not danced so badly, my dear,
Trying to kiss the Beautiful One.
You have actually waltzed with tremendous style,
O my sweet,
O my sweet crushed angel.
(today's walk was 18km, from Lorca to Monjardin)
p.s. if you've managed to read this far - would you consider posting a comment on facebook, letting me know one or two lines of the poem that you particularly enjoy? thanks!
Hi Will, I have been following your journey with both some interest in a literary sense and from the perspective of journeying and what it means and can bring to ones self. My interest has been in these past few years in to what neurophysiological benefits are derived from exercising in green spaces, so I watch your blog and read your words with a view to ascertaining through you words any changes that you are undergoing. Don't panic I am not checking you out or analysing I am just from an amateur view seeing how your journey unfolds. Purely from an outdoor perspective I hope that your journey brings you fabulous company and fantastic vistas.
ReplyDeletethanks rich! glad you are enjoying. most of this walk was more golden-brown than green, but I'm pretty sure I was getting neurophysiological benefits :-)
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