In the week after leaving Le-Puy-en-Velay (in central southern France) and the emotions I felt as I was about to leave the Cathedral after the pilgrims Mass, I often reflected on why was I here.
I knew the mechanical bits off pat. Following her last diagnosis in January 2012 Ibegan walking to help with a (over) weight issue. Then , as Cathy and I talked about what I would do when she was no longer with me , she suggested my doing a full pilgrimage to add to the short one I had done in 2010.
The training walks now had an edge to them as I trialled equipment and trained my head as much as my body. Kath Rushton (completed a pilgrimage across Northern Spain in 2011) observed several times that my pilgrimage would be the most planned ever .
Cathy died (very peacefully) in November 2014 and in early 2015 neighbours began asking when I would do my walk, as they had noticed my coming back after a training walk. But 2015 was to settle Cathy's affairs and for me to settle my route. With the support of my co-executor (Tony, one of Cathy's nephews) we reached practical completion of the former) by mid-year.
About the same time I considered starting from Le Puy through the blog created by Margaret Riordan, a friend of one of Cathy's friends, Trish Harris. In September I met Margaret and her observations made me decide to start from there.
Shortly before I left a neighbour and priest, John Carden observed I was setting out on a great adventure. While agreeing with him in general terms, I have found in so many different ways just how big an adventure this is.
That is all the how, which, what, where and when stuff.
As part of our preparation Cathy wrote me a note asking that her body be cremated and for her ashes to stay with me. I told I would take a small amount with me . And at the pilgrims Mass at Le Puy I held those in my hand throughout.
In the days following I have been conscious of the purpose of my pilgrimage and continually hope and pray my body and my head will continue to have the strength to fulfill our purpose.
