Back

Finding Peace on the Camino: Sunsets, Mangoes, and New Beginnings | Day 269 of my 2023 Journal

Cecilie Conrad·Sep 27, 2023· 3 minutes

Rock, mango, sunset

The first day after walking had to be a little strange. Emotionally, I was all over the place, and practically starting over with what could be called normal felt challenging.

Yet - this is the point exactly.

Walking the Camino is like drawing a line in the sand, clearing all the chaos. When we began, I was stressed out and in need of peace. I almost did not want to walk it; I just wanted silence after eight months on the road. 



Somewhere on the way to Santiago, I realized it had passed. The stress. The confusion. The exhaustion. The present moment again was everything, and I felt ready for whatever.

A side goal of mine was to get stronger by walking so I could pick up my running habit after completing, so this is what I did on the first morning. It is all connected, as we all know, so I found the perfect spot while running. A stunning viewpoint, where we all later gathered on a rock.

The supermarket finally had the Spanish mangoes I had been craving since the beginning of summer but not seen until now, so we sat on the rock and enjoyed the immense beauty, the mangoes, the sunset, and each other.

Sometimes the moments are so happy, it is hard to stay in them, hard to understand they are real. Even hard to let all of that pass through the breath, the heartbeat - as if I am too small and the greatness of life is almost running me over.

We are enjoying the last days in this constellation, this group of pilgrims, and the goodbye moment is on the horizon. It is an amazing exercise in staying in the moment. The beauty is overwhelming, and the importance of the friendships is equally so.

The mangoes from Andalusia are ripe, dripping with luxury, and the mountaintops keep changing nuance as the sun sets; the energy is special, the rock still warm from the sun, and our abundance is as huge as our gratefulness.

Thank you, sunset, mangoes and rocks.

With love

Cecilie-Underskrift-300x133

Cecilie Conrad

Thank you for reading
I would love to hear from you. Listen to your thoughts and reflections - or praise :) It is often emotional to share our lives like this, and we get very happy when we get your feedback. So feel free to share a comment below 😋 

See more images on Facebook

Learn the essential life skill of turning a challenging situation into a beautiful experience. From waking up at a construction site to unexpected ex…Read more
Experience the second day of the All About Dogs festival through the eyes of two families united by friendship and a love for dogs. From joining quir…Read more
Four long-time unschoolers, Sarah Beale, Luna Maj Vestergaard, Carla Martinez, and Sara Beale, join forces and dive deep into the world of unschoolin…Read more
We had an unforgettable experience at Norfolk's Dog Festival. From a daughter's lifelong passion for dogs to the intricate details of canine communic…Read more
Explore the contrasting experiences of staying at two different campsites during a homeschooling event. One campsite exudes a negative vibe with rude…Read more
Ever find yourself losing track of dates, forgetting anniversaries, or mixing up seasons? Dive into one woman's candid journey through the complexiti…Read more
I associate canals with the Netherlands and maybe Belgium, so it was a lovely add-on to our English experience to see the boats. Some pretty, some ve…Read more
Recapping the final day at HEFF Festival, from morning yoga to driving off with friends. Discover how we navigated the come-down and cherished the mo…Read more
Our oldest dog, Yuna, does not like wasps and bites out after them when they circle her head. This time, Yuna got one of them bastards, and while bit…Read more