Taking the day off in Finisterre. My feet are happy feet today. Walked the three kilometers to the lighthouse where pilgrims used to think the earth ended. The edge of the earth must be at least 20 miles wide since that’s how far I need to hike yet tomorrow. That will be the end of the actual hike. I’ll take a bus from there to Santiago where I have a small room reserved in a monastery.
The lighthouse was quite inspiring for me. It reminded me that there is a lighthouse available to all of us who mess up and reach the end of our own personal worlds.
The light from that Heavenly lighthouse can guide us to safety.
When I climbed down over some rocks, the analogy became even clearer.
There was a cross down a ways from the lighthouse. The light from the lighthouse can lead a person to the cross where burdens can be unloaded. At the base of the cross was a burn pile where hikers had burned old boots and clothes. It reminded me again of what should happen there. Some folks drop their personal burden at the cross and have a hallelujah high for a while only to return to riffle through past baggage. That’s why I liked the burn pile–the garbage is gone for good.
Up beyond the cross, someone has painted the number 13 on a concrete base. For most, that’s graffiti. Obviously someone finished the hike in 13 and felt a need to leave a mark. Little did he/ she know that it would inspire me. Thirteen is the number God shows me so often. Beds were assigned to me with the number 13 and on and on. Sure, I now look for it since, to me, it’s God’s way of telling me all is well. When I see it, I know I’m right where I need to be. Some of you will understand that, some won’t. God moves in mysterious ways to speak to folks, I believe.
As I was about to leave, a flock of goats appeared over the cliffs and grazed among he rocks. You can come up with your own meaning about those.