Lonliness

Considering that I spend some of my days and most evenings in the company of many others I am surprised that I am lonely much of the time. I was thinking about that today and find that for myself, just being around other people doesn’t address my loneliness. I am blessed to have in my life a loving wife, a fantastic daughter, close relationships with my two siblings, and many friends some of whom I have known for almost 50 years. My Camino routine has me opting to walk solo but at the end of the day I usually find myself with a group of folks some of whom I have known since my first days on the pilgrimage. And although we are not strangers it is also true that we have not shared much personal information about ourselves. In short, we chatter a lot with the major topic being life on the Camino, but at the end of the day it’s back to lonely. I miss holding hands, hugs, and intimate conversation with my wife. (Hell, even time with the dog eases my loneliness). How lonely life must be for people without the kind of close relationships I enjoy? How is life for homeless people who find themselves isolated from meaningful relationships? How does one navigate through life alone? Tough questions to ponder as I again count my myriad blessings. Easy trek today through Burgos where Andy and I spent some time in the inspiring Cathedral of Santa Maria before cruising on to Rabe de la Calzada. No interior photography of the cathedral allowed so enjoy the exterior.