I love to be outdoors particularly hiking, golfing and swimming. Today we walked 14 miles on the first leg of our Camino de Santiago from Sorria to Portomarin. It was much harder than I expected, but the terrain was interesting with some challenging hills, plenty of agriculture and farm animals.

It was our first day of hiking, and we got caught in drizzle that turned to downpours four different times throughout our 5-1/2 hour walk. The stones in some parts became slippery which slowed our walking to a crawl. We had no other option but to keep forging ahead, one step at a time.

There is plenty of time to think on the Camino whether you are walking with someone or by yourself. During those downpours, I was thinking about how the rain had washed away all our sins. The cleansing power of water in our baptism is carried through life as we are continuously reminded about Christ’s sacrifice for us and how his Resurrection has redeemed us from sin.

It is supposed to be a pretty day tomorrow with no rain predicted, but it was good for us to start out with the reminder that are sins have been forgiven.

We’ll arise tomorrow to start another day, brightened by the clean slate we’ve been given and fortified for the 15 mile journey ahead of us tomorrow.

The photo is from Camino at about the 12th mile as we broke over the hill to see the town of Portomarin.

Blessings, my friend,

Agatha