Day 32
When pilgrims get to talking on the trail, the first thing they cover is where everyone is from, and then we usually end up talking about our ailments, which are mostly foot or back or ankle related. I can easily handle these two discussions. I know where I’m from and in an international setting describe it in eight words (“Iowa in the United States, it’s in the middle”). And I can talk up a storm about whatever is hurting me that particular day...today’s menace is some weird spot on my foot which my sports-injury-expert brother has diagnosed via text message as “you’re fine.”
So after the discussion of origins and the pain-of-the-day, what comes next? I both love and dread this next question. Love it, because my fellow pilgrims have amazing answers. Dread it, because I don’t really have one!
“And what made you decide to do the Camino?”
I have had people tell me that their chemo nurse (!!!) told them about it and inspired them during cancer treatments, someone just shrug and say they got fired and they’re searching for their next chapter, another who said his late wife would have wanted him to keep having adventures. My answer is a bumbling, “Oh, I just always thought it would be cool, and the timing finally worked out.” This is absolutely the truth but it is so boring.
I even listened to an entire book on human decision making during the last few days to see if I could stumble upon anything ANYTHING REALLY SERIOUSLY ANYTHING that I could use to better answer question 3. After 13 hours of a behavioral science crash course, I only have two tidbits to offer:
1. When we are doing something very new to us, time seems to move more slowly. Your brain can feel more awake. (In my normal life, I blink and weeks have past, so this different concept of time does appeal to me. This never occurred to me before I got here, though.)
2. Committing to a decision or plan makes humans happy. Yes, just making up your mind about something can give you a little buzz, apparently. I didn’t know this either, but as soon as I made up my mind to try the Camino, I was pumped. I felt like I was getting away with something, and as a responsible, rule-following adult that’s pretty rare.
So the lessons for today are: my foot is indeed fine (thank Joey), reasons for pilgrimhood vary from profound to “why-not?”, and if you feel like you need a boost, go ahead and make a decision about something you’ve been putting off! It will make you feel like you just knocked over a liquor store.