My oldest child is launched and my youngest child is graduated from college and just accepted her first “adult job” offer. Mr. Mo and I have officially entered a new stage of life. We have raised our children. And now, it’s time for creating new plans and new adventures for the two of us.
It is a wonderful feeling of satisfaction seeing your children making their own way, and being happy, productive, contributing adults. It’s a win-win for everyone, and an exciting time for all sides.
So… what’s next?
MOTAB TOUR
In less than 3 weeks Mr. Mo and I will be headed on a two week “Classic Coast Tour” with The Mormon Tabernacle Choir (me as choir member, him as guest) including stops in Los Angeles & San Francisco California, Vancouver B.C. and Seattle Washington.
Be sure to let me know if you’ll be at one of my concerts! I’ll be posting visual updates on my Instagram, and blogging about the adventure.
MORE WRITING & CREATIVITY
Since Daughter A is now a happy-ever-after newlywed living in her own nest, we have an empty room in our house. My master-plan is finally set in motion to create my very own dream office / creative writing space / cozy reading nook. (all my creative juices are bubbling with excitement … Stay tuned!)
MORE RUNNING
Mr. Mo and I are continuing our fun hobby of exercising (running, walking, hobbling) along together, and entering weekend road races. The Wedding planning and prep got us off-schedule. But, we wasted no time getting back in the swing of things. The day after the wedding we registered for the Drop 13 Half Marathon – which is Saturday June 9th. (Yikes! a little too soon… but oh well! We aim to finish!).
BEGINNING THE BUCKET LIST
I’ve blogged in the past that one of our fondest dreams is to walk the Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James) pilgrimage across northern Spain. There are many routes or “Ways” to get to Santiago, however the most popular and well known is the Camino Francés – or, French Way (featured in the Emilio Esteves/Martin Sheen film The Way and the recent popular documentary I’ll Push You). The French Way begins in a small town in France called Saint Jean Pied de Port, traversing up over the Pyrenees mountain range, and then across Spain, spanning 500 miles.
Walking The Francés has been our prime focus. However, it requires a minimum of 4 weeks, and more comfortably (and physically kind) 5 weeks to complete. Since Mr. Mo and I are still working in our careers (and we are not school teachers with summer breaks, nor Europeans with summer holiday), taking that much time away is simply not possible. Even so, three years ago, we came very close to going in the winter and doing a 3 week Camino plan. Then, an announcement of the European Tour with the Choir changed our plan!
And so, we (very unhappily) resigned ourselves to waiting to fulfill this dream until after we retire… in 15 or more years.
I’ve been extremely unsettled about waiting to do our Camino. It hasn’t felt right. Ever since we first heard of the Camino several years ago we have felt it continually “calling” to us. Camino pilgrims talk about this phenomenon. It’s hard to describe or explain. All I can tell you is that it’s a real thing. People are led to walk the Camino pilgrimage for a multitude of reasons. Some go for a specific reason in mind, but many go without really knowing why. As their journey unfolds it becomes more clear, and they have a very personalized, trans-formative experience.
After the wedding as I’ve been sorting through all of my “next stage” planning and dreaming, I had an epiphany about the Camino. It came into my mind as a simple two-part thought:
“Life is too short and unpredictable. If you keep waiting to do what you most desire, it will never happen” …
“Why not go another way?“
Another Way! Of course!
There are multiple Ways or Routes that lead pilgrims to the city of Santiago de Compostella (the legendary burial place of the apostle James) – originating in multiple countries and spanning across Spain from every direction.
“What if our pilgrimage wasn’t working out for us because The Camino Francés is simply not OUR way?”
Sure enough, as we have studied and reviewed all of the other routes, our heart has been drawn to the lesser traveled Camino Inglés – or, English Way – which begins at the north-western coastal city Ferrol and travels approximately 119 kilometers (75 miles) south along the Galician coast to Santiago de Compostella.
It only requires 1 week.
We have found our Camino!
It will still take time and planning, a dose of luck and a few miracles to pull it all off, but I feel super energized and excited because I know that it is going to happen much sooner than we ever thought possible!
It is important to have dreams and goals. It’s even more important to be actively working toward them. I believe it is the journey and process of making our goals happen that makes life super exciting and fulfilling!
We must each Find Our Own Way, and keep pressing forward.
To Life! Onward and Upward! – MoSop
Latter-day Soprano 