Kindness

The experience of “forced” vulnerability and being not in control has never been high on my list of the situations I want to be in. The miraculous thing is though, that when it happens – and only then – do you have the opportunity to fully realize the true kindness and generosity of others and really understand this thing called humanity.
I had a friend in high school named Mike. Mike was a big, very nice guy with a great smile and a little different way about him than everyone else. I always liked Mike; he lived not far down the street from me. I have not seen him since high school (maybe at an early reunion – but suffice it to say, its been a very long time).  Fast forward 40+ years and I get a message from him on Facebook asking if I am his old friend from high school. I responded and we have chatted back and forth on Facebook. He is a professor of Virology at UC Irvine and is married to a woman named Nancy whom I have not met.
Nancy has walked the Camino and has been following my blog. She had commented on the blog and contacted me through the blog when she learned about my injury.

She has a friend (Spanish) who teaches biochemistry at the University here in Oviedo. Her name is Lali. Nancy contacted her and told her of my situation. She is picking me up here Monday and taking me to her home until I have recovered sufficiently to move on! She has a home near here in Gijon Spain. She, her daughter and son-in-law who both just graduated from architecture school speak English and will help me with doctors etc if still needed on Monday.

I am overwhelmed by the kindness I have been shown and the seeming serendipity of how this has come together in this big world to help me in this very personal way. From my walking companion of one day, Brigitte, with her angel companions and belief that angels walk the earth; to the man at the bus station in Ribdasella who would appear every time a bus arrived to shake his head to say “not this one” and find me in the crowd to nod to me when it was time to get on and off and saw me through a transfer and all the way to Oviedo without ever saying a word; to Alfredo, my Spanish friend who explained to me so clearly in his “second” language how the universe teaches us what we need to know and that the Camino is life; and  to Nancy and her friend Lali, who have walked the Camino together……
I feel very blessed and humbled. Thank you all so much.