Rand and I officially began our walk yesterday at the exact spot where we said goodbye last April. Leon is a huge city, but we recognized the place immediately. It has surprised me how my body and mind and spirit have tuned in to these locations, memories, and emotions.
We paused to take pictures. Say how grateful we were to be walking forward together. And began our walk, hand in hand.
Today came another emotional place for us. We walked the stretch of road where I felt intense pain in my foot. Likely the place where tendonitis turned into a broken foot.
I walked alone for a few paces, surprised at how emotional I felt. A year ago I had no idea that it would take me another month to walk these last 285 kilometers, which most people do in 12 days. I had no idea how hard it would be, physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
As I feel my feet getting tired and sore during these first 50 kilometers, I have had to remind myself that this is normal. This isn't a break waiting to happen.
I think this is a common sensation for anyone who has ever broken a bone, torn an ACL, etc. It is hard to go back to the activity that you now not only associate with joy and love and exhilaration, but also with pain and heartache. But essential if you are ever going to experience the freedom that comes with overcoming, pushing through, and learning why you loved that activity in the first place.
We imagined for a moment how last year would have been different if I hadn't broken my foot. Or how it would have been different if I'd broken it while Rand and I were still walking together. But that isn't our story.
Our story is that Rand went back to work and I broke my foot the day after we parted ways. And it had to happen that way. Even if we don't know all the reasons why.
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