Girls, Girls, Girls......!

Back in 2013, when we were walking on our pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain, I came up with a framework for how I hoped to view life as it was opening up while we walked, experiencing the world at 3 miles per hour. My shorthand name for this was GIRLS. Before you jump to the obvious (and wrong) conclusion, let me explain. I’m talking about this:

•  Giving

•  Receiving

•  Learning

• “Sparkles”

That’s what the acronym GIRLS means - a way to focus more on the present, to get something meaningful to pull out of the flood of “now” experiences that stay only for a flash and then fade away into memory.

GI - What did I give of myself to people- to other people living in the space I pass through on my journey. A kind word, encouragement, food or advice maybe. Or something bigger like offering myself to a new friendship or experience.

R – This is often the flip side of giving in a relationship or it could be my awareness of an experience that has “stuck” or been especially meaningful to me that day. It could be from a conversation with others or just recognition of some bit of the wisdom of the ages.

L – My mother once told me (actually, she told me many times) that her secret to a long and fulfilling life was two-fold: always be curious about life and try to keep a positive attitude. Since she lived 101 years and enjoyed almost all of it, I figure being curious is all about learning new things all the time. Having a calcified mind and outlook on life is a sure way to get both broken.

S – “Sparkles”. That’s the things that happen that make a moment special and stick forever in your memory and mind. It could be big, as I felt upon seeing Stonehenge last year or standing in the glorious Bath Cathedral. It could be a little thing, like a thirst-quenching drink of water while stopping by a pub in a small English village. Or maybe the sparkle will be seeing a bright flower while I’m resting by the side of the road or talking to a fellow walker and ending up with a unexpected moment of kinship & recognition. The funny thing is, you always know a “sparkle’ when they happen. This one came to me yesterday while I was walking down to Mother's Beach in Kennebunk. That little red beach rose encapsulates the memory of the whole gorgeous seaside panorama.  It "sparkles", doesn't it?

I try to write my GIRLS down each day in my trip diary, as does Joan. Then over dinner or winding down at day’s end, we talk about them and what they’ve done to make the day meaningful. Try it yourself – it’s kind of fun!