Here are my last comments about bringing the sense of community felt on the Camino de Santiago back home to the USA. It’s really simple and probably shouldn’t even require stating. But nonetheless, here it is: 

Be observant. Be thoughtful. Do acts of kindness.

When I traveled to St. Jean Pied de Port at the foot of the Pyrenees in France to begin my walk on the Camino de Santiago, my train arrived late — 11:00 pm rather than 8:00 as scheduled. And it was pouring rain. Thank God I had made a reservation at the Hostel Makila before leaving Paris. Once I knew we’d be delayed, I called ahead to let them know. Most hostels close and lock the doors at 10:00 pm, but the host said he would wait for me.

I was clueless about where to go when I got off the train. I ran up the street to catch a group walking together. I hoped they could help me find my hostel. Struggling to put on my rain poncho, I ran into a car—a parked car, thankfully. Then I realized that I put my poncho on backwards. I couldn’t pull the hood over my head to keep dry. It was not a good start. The only people in sight in this dark, wet town were quickly getting farther away from me. Then fortunately, three of them stopped under an awning. A young couple was helping a third man figure out where to find lodging. When I reached them they directed me to my hostel. Turns out that they had stayed there before. They knew exactly where to send me—straight up, up, up the cobblestone street around the corner. I thanked them for their help and the young man replied, “That’s what we do. We help each other.”

What a beautiful and simple statement! What a powerful and impactful statement! We help each other. I experienced that again and again on the Camino, and its power stays with me now. How can we live that attitude back home? How can we bring that into our communities?

I wish I could tell you how, but I can’t. I don’t have a simple formula for it. I think we just apply it day by day, case by case, as the opportunity arises. Every time we see someone with a need we may be able to fill, we make a choice to offer assistance or to remain quiet. I don’t believe we should offer assistance to every need; I’m not saying that. But maybe we can adopt a practice to consider, to ask ourselves, if we should become involved. If the answer is yes, then with confidence act on it.

If we don’t give it a second thought, if we numb ourselves to the people around us, to the world around us, we may miss out on some of the greatest treasures we’ll never know we missed. Maybe. Maybe it starts with being aware of our surroundings. Of noticing what part we might play, of a word we can speak, or an action we can take. Maybe that is a step into being, into forming, community.

That’s my musing this week.  How about you? What do you think?