My Pilgrimage to Chartres: Day 5: Part 2

Post-lunch, socks changed, insoles adjusted, laces tied differently, I was ready to get this done. We walked out of the forest and onto pathways that begin to indicate that we were getting closer and closer to an more populous area. The main pathway into Chartres was this lovely waterside walk with gorgeous views of these towering bridges. The shell our ever present companion on the path now.Ducks frolicked in the water and all in all, it was just so refreshing. We took a break along the way to catch our breath and rest our feet. The caption to this photo reads a very corny My Sole Longs for You. We were pretty giddy about arriving and just totally focused on managing whatever pain we were experiencing. 
Kim's excitement grew with every step. She was pumped that we were doing this! I love this photo of her checking route and distance. She kind of looks like Quasimodo, appropriate I guess since we were on our way to Cathedral Notre Dame de Chartres!
Soon enough actual views of the cathedral came into view. Then we had to cross a really busy street filled with the traffic sounds of an urban environment. The noise was actually a bit comforting at this point. I was pretty unsure of what exactly was going on with my emotions at this point. I was pretty darn thrilled to realize that I was going to complete this walk and the anticipation of reaching the Cathedral filled my heart with incredible joy and thanksgiving. I absolutely loved this sign of the pilgrim's path surrounded by the autumn leaves that were reminders of the time of year that we did this walk.
Because all cathedrals are on a hill, we had to climb a pretty good staircase in order to get up to the grounds where the cathedral majestically sits over Chartres. It was funny. It wasn't even hard to climb the stairs. It wasn't tiring, my legs didn't feel heavy. My feet didn't even hurt that much. It was amazing.
We had to walk through this beautiful, peaceful garden on our way to the entrance to the cathedral and it proved a perfect prelude for the main event. Once we reached the square where the cathedral sat, there was hugging and cheers and high fives and a few tears. A couple of folks in our group had never been to Chartres before so their excitement in standing outside of the cathedral was filled with the even greater anticipation of seeing something for the first time. 
After gathering outside of the cathedral, around the sign of Saint Jacques and took another picture of our feet surrounding our destination point, much as we had done with our departure spot at Notre Dame in Paris. We bugged some innocent tourist, asking him to take our photo and then made our way into the church.
I had been to Chartres Cathedral on 4 previous occasions, twice that included great guided tours and an detailed explanation of the incredible stained glass windows, twice more just as a tourist passing through. Even so, I had forgotten how BIG this cathedral is. It just soars with its high flying gothic arches, and that gorgeous glass make the space so inviting. We quickly found our way the priest who would give us our final stamp in our Chemin credentials and realized that our pilgrimage was largely over.

I had walked from Paris to Chartres! And I was still standing! We took a quick walk around the Cathedral and then headed outside to find Saint Jacques himself, standing in a row of saints, holding his bag with the shells affixed to it. In all of the times I had been to Chartres, I was completely unaware of this being a pilgrim site, of the statute of Saint Jacques, of the plaques indicating the Chemin. We had been told to pick up a stone somewhere along the way and lay it at the feet of Saint Jacques as a symbol of the way we join the throngs of other pilgrims who have done the same and as a small promise to go now, a changed person, ready to be a living stone in the world to which we will return. It was kind of a cool moment.
From there, we wandered just a few more steps over to our hotel and had some time to relax before we headed out for our celebration dinner. The sun was coming down over Chartres in a perfect sunset.
Showers were welcome! I was happy that I didn't have to wear my hiking shoes for a few more days! In fact, yesterday, was the first day that I had put them on since the walk ended. I unwrapped my feet to check the damage. Everything was mostly in tact!
Dinner that night was lovely. We went to a classic crêperie that stood in the shadow of the now beautifully lit looming cathedral. There was toasting and joking and warmth shared around the table of celebration. Candace, the oldest and most elegant of us all, gave out some gifts. She had done part of the Camino de Santiago in Spain and had picked up some things there that she had somehow saved to give out. Kim received some beautiful sterling silver shell earrings. Emily and I received these beautiful bracelets for providing spiritual guidance and the driver of our goods received a little car key chain with the shell on it. It was an incredibly thoughtful gesture and I will treasure this bracelet forever, in part because Candace was a wonderful gift on this trip.
We finished dinner and gathered for one final examen. At the end of this time, we were asked to bless the person sitting next to us, so we all received a blessing and gave a blessing. It was a sweet time together. Candace ended up being the one who blessed me and she could not have said more perfect things to me. What joy.
The pilgrimage was largely over. We had plans to gather in the morning to walk the labyrinth (more on this tomorrow) and share in communion together. After a week long trek that proved to be considerably demanding on the ol' bod, and the toasting around the table with both cider and wine, my head was aching and sleep was needed. We were in Chartres! I would get to take the train back to Paris! Admittedly, I was glad that it was over but super glad that I had done it. I also knew it would take awhile to sort through everything that I was feeling, experiencing, learning, etc. But one thing was for sure...I was grateful. Oh so grateful for so many wonderful things.

(PS: I have more to write so my pilgrimage blogs will continue...in case you feel like this story isn't finished yet! It isn't...)

My Pilgrimage to Chartres: Day 5: Part 1

    Our final day, the one that involved walking 18 miles (28 kilometers) deserves to be written in two parts. We had gotten lunch the previous day and had gone to bed quite early after the restful ending of day 4 so after breakfast, we could get on the road as close to 8.00 a.m as possible. Rain was in the forecast for the first time all week and we knew that there would be enough challenges in the day without adding falling darkness to the mix later in the day. Water had become an important sight for me along the way. It was a sign of life, of vibrancy, of refreshment so whenever we spotted a stream, even just a trickle, or a pond of some kind, I found it so encouraging and restorative.
     The mood was good, kind of like, let's do this, one step at a time and eventually we'll get to Chartres. I was confident that I would make it at this point, but I was still unsure of how difficult it might actually prove to be. My feet were mostly OK at this point even though the blister on my left pinkie toe was a douzy. I had it well wrapped in moleskin and felt like I had reduced possibilities for great pain through my various methods of foot care. I did have an emerging new pain across the top of my left foot and over the ankle up into the shin. I'm sure it was because of the way my foot adjusted to the blister but I could've lived without yet another issue to deal with! Most serious of all however, was the onset of stomach issues that struck as we were heading out the door. Things were not quite as firm as I had liked and so I loaded up my bag with extra kleenex and simply hoped upon hope that this would not be an issue throughout the day. We had decided to wait for our morning devotions until we had gotten down the road a ways, knowing that we'd need to stop and rest and not really wanting to get up any earlier in order to share before we left. So with a quick prayer for stamina, and health, we were off: Destination Chartres! Could that really be possible?
     We began in wide open spaces, fields filled with living things. There were conversations along the way but also times of walking in a single file line. The rain and wind did indeed come and it was increasingly hard to talk to one another. We were quite the sight in our rain gear! I remained committed to taking off my shoes at every stop and wiggling my toes around. I had also packed a clean pair of socks to change into midway and brought both sets of insoles. All of this was helpful.
     We managed a stop where there were a couple of benches waiting for us for our first break and shared in our devotional time amongst the fields and trees. The verses for the day were from Ephesians 3:16-21. "I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." These verses were so key for me and I thought they would be powerful and meaningful for us all as we sought to complete the pilgrimage. Here's what stood out to me. First, God's glorious unlimited resources could make their home in our hearts. We needed unlimited resources because our own resources were waning. The image of unlimited resources flowing into our bodies, hearts, souls and minds was one of great encouragement. Second, some of us were on this pilgrimage to have a deeper encounter of God's love for us and these verses affirm the absolute fullness of God's love for us. It's wide, and long and high and deep. And it's too great to fully understand but we should at least try! Third, the benediction herein is just so beautiful and I absolutely loved relying on the notion that it was God who could accomplish infinitely more than we could ask or think. God's goodness, God's presence, God's power within us was greater than we could imagine and that was also a great encouragement. There was a resource that stood way outside of my own ability that could sustain me throughout this day. Our questions to consider were again, simple and profound: What kind of strength do you need for today? And how do you see God working in ways that are immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine? The answers to these questions seemed pretty obvious as the kilometers stretched out in front of us. 
     I was struggling a bit. I felt OK, was able to stay hydrated but there were issues that were not fun. I managed but it wasn't pleasant. I haven't talked about the other women on this trip because I've been trying to focus on my impressions and their pilgrimage is their story to tell, not mine. But there are 2 that were with me that I would not have survived without and I want to say a bit about them here. I was so thankful for my buddy Emily who had come from Oslo, Norway to join this trip.

She is a Lutheran pastor, married to a Lutheran pastor so we have a lot in common and we co-led the devotional times and shared a room. She was someone that I could say anything to and thus we laughed a lot and she wasn't grossed out by my problems! There were a lot of jokes along the way and I was thankful for that, even in spite of my less than pleasant moments in the woods. The other woman was Kim, the one who dreamt up this entire journey and arranged all of the logistics for it. Kim has been a dear friend for many years, is married to the senior pastor of ACP and is an abiding and wonderful person in my life. We are very different but find great resonance in our spirits.

I mention these two here because they knew what was going on with me along the way and were supportive and encouraging. They laughed with me and took me seriously too. I shared deep and abiding conversations with both of them and our friendship has deepened tremendously because of this experience. For this, I'm very grateful. 
     After the break we had an end point that we wanted to get to for lunch. Kim had encouraged us by stating that after a long walk through a field, you come to a bit of a rise and can spot the spires of the Cathedral of Chartres! What a thrill that would be and we were all eager to make it to that point. Beauty abounded in spite of the wind and the rain and spotting this street sign gave us energy to continue on. Signs of Chartres had come into view. Was that really possible? And then as we walked across this field, against a pretty good wind, I spotted the spires. This photo is taken at the precise spot where I first saw them looming in the distance. My heart sang. That's where we were going, where this walk would end and I could finally see it in the distance!
     At the top of this little rise are two trees, a bench and a cross. It's an extraordinary place, surrounded by the wide open spaces, basically out in the middle of nowhere. It was a peaceful, soothing place and while it would've been great to have lunch there, the wind was threatening so we found a little protected area amongst the trees. One more visit into the woods where I braved brambles and thorns was necessary but that was the last thank God. Fortunately, I was staying hydrated so that wasn't an issue and I still ate the delicious baguette sandwich the bakery had made for me the day before.
     There was a sense of gratitude for our rest at lunch but also a sense that we were going to make it! No one was really discouraged. People definitely had aches and pains. Shin splints, back pain, foot issues, etc. But all in all, the mood was one of determination and grit.
     We were half way home. Just about another 9 miles and we would arrive. Much needed adrenaline began to course through my system. I changed my socks and insoles. I adjusted my gear. I was walking from Paris to Chartres and I was going to make it. What a feeling that was as we headed into the last leg of our journey together. 

My Pilgrimage to Chartres: Day 4

     Having been absolutely flattened by illness for the past several days, my reflections on the Chemin have gone by the wayside. But alas, today, I am actually able to crawl out from under the covers and put together a coherent thought or two so I will take up my reflections once again. My body is really sending a clear message...you are no longer in charge, I am. The point is well taken. I guess that's what happens when you can barely breath due to a severe throat infection, a cough that won't go away, headaches that cause near paralysis and fatigue that I have not known for years. This is indeed a season of paying attention to my physical self more than ever and trying to make sense of what feels like an utter breakdown in strength.
     Breakfast on day 4 was a light affair, the tensions from the previous night had been washed away by mostly sound sleep. I slept the best I had in spite of waking up at 3.00 because my stomach was turning over. I was able to get back to sleep but in the meantime spent some middle of the night googling about what to do on a long hike when you have diarrhea. BRAT: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast. Toast was out so I went with the BRA option which was inspiring since bra means good in Swedish! Obviously cooked rice wasn't happening but rice/cereal cakes were a good, dry, tasteless option. I had some soda crackers and applesauce abounds in France in little single size containers that are easy to carry. As we prepared for the day, there was much optimism. ONLY 10 MILES TODAY! What joy that thought brought us. Our verse for the day was centered on gratitude. Quite simply, Colossians 4:2 was a good word: Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving. Emily asked us for one word that states what we are thankful for. Mine was recovery. I was amazing each morning at how different my body felt. The body longs to be well, to heal, to do what it is supposed to do. It was amazing to find new strength for each day. After a good stop at the grocery store to get our lunch provisions, we were off to tackle a new day.
     The walk out of Rambouillet was decidedly more wonderful than the walk in. There is a large Chateau there so we were able to skirt along the grounds. The sun was glorious, the trees were beautiful and all in all, it was just a very refreshing morning. I was cautiously optimistic that watching my diet and drinking plenty of water might fend off the dreaded "poop in the woods" that I'm sure all hikers fear. In addition to forests and trees, there were wide open fields that filled my soul with strength. There is something so soothing about the wide open spaces especially when you live in a city.
     Before we knew it really, we had come upon this most lovely of villages and decided it was a perfect place for lunch. I was a little bummed that my lunch was so tasteless that day but granted, utterly grateful that I wasn't struggling along the way. This stop was so refreshing in every way. Warm sunshine, beautiful water, soothing scenery...it was hard to leave. But upon leaving, we knew that we only had a few more hours and then we'd have lots of free time. Kim had assured us that the Priory where we were staying that night was also awesome so we were excited to know that comfort awaited us.
     How was I doing? Overall, pretty well. I had gotten to a very comfortable place with my feet in terms of getting them wrapped up and secured from further blistering. My hip wasn't really bothering me at all. I was happy that I realized that switching out the insoles mid-walk was actually helpful for my overall comfort and the conversations and times of quiet that I was having were all quite enjoyable. Nice to have such an easy day after feeling the struggle more dramatically in the past. I purposefully warded off thoughts of the 18 miles (28k) that awaited us on the next day. Today was about today's steps...just take care of that.
     Much sooner than we had expected, the signs for Épernon came into view. WHAT, we were already here?! There was much rejoicing. We had to walk through the village before we headed to the Priory so all were inclined to stop for refreshment. I had had a "solid" day so threw caution to the wind and ordered a beer! I needed the carbs and a little salt and so snacked on the potato chips that were in my bag. I would pay for this later but in the moment it was great!
     The church was beautiful with a scallop shell for a baptismal font. That will forever be etched into my mind with much deeper meaning than ever before whenever I see one. The other place many of us visited was the pharmacy to stock up on moleskin and other things that were needed as we faced the final day.
     Since we wanted to get an early start the next day, we also gathered our lunch provisions that afternoon. My friend Emily and I had spotted a bakery on our way in so went back down there to get sandwiches and pastries. Earlier in the walk, Emily had spotted what is called a Religieuse and ever since then, was waiting for her opportunity to have a religious experience. The funniest thing was that next to this in the case of this bakery, was a divorce...a half coffee, half chocolate delight that caught my eye. We were pretty loopy by then so laughed more than we should've at the joke that she was having a religious experience and I was getting a divorce. Both were delicious by the way, as we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon "fika" (still can't come up with a better word than this Swedish word for coffee and a little something) in the priory cafeteria.
     Signs of the shell appeared in many places. Soon we were at the Priory of Saint Thomas and we walked into their garden. This garden was like a haven of beauty and rest. It was so lovely. They greeted us with such warmth and hospitality. We all felt deeply ministered to. For this one night we had our own rooms with space and time to re-pack, re-arrange what we needed/wanted for the long haul to Chartres the next day. Dinner was served in a lovely dining room, where the atmosphere was just calm and inviting. One of the women in our group, the oldest of all at 72, someone who had lived in France for nearly 30 years, treated us to some good red wine. All in all, the end of day 4 was such a gift. The gift of hospitality is not to be overlooked. Weary people being received in a gracious and generous manner is a gift that we should look to offer when we can. Being on the receiving end was amazing. (The priory is open to the public. You can book space there for a personal retreat or some private time. If you find yourself wanting this and in the vicinity, I could not recommend it more).
     The Examen was a joy-filled, quiet time, each one more grateful for the day than not. Not too many lows today. Eager/nervous anticipation for the morrow was certainly present in all of us. Rain was forecast. But we were somehow ready to face whatever we needed to in order to complete the pilgrimage. We all somehow knew we'd make it. Perhaps we wondered what the obstacles to overcome would be. But overcome them we would.