There’s a photo that appears in the IG feeds of many, many pilgrims - that of the pilgrim’s shadow on the ground. Sometimes the pilgrim has a hat, a walking pole or two, and a backpack ranging in size from modest daypack to monster pack better suited to being hauled overland by a camel.
Confession: I’ve taken a few of those shadow photos myself.
This image was taken last year on the Writers on Fire Camino in Portugal - though it looks like I was wearing a full-on cloak and maybe even carrying a staff, it was actually an airy, lightweight shawl that was serving as additional sun protection as it was cooking hot. I’ve shifted both walking poles to one hand so I could snap the photo.
Last year, before I headed off to Portugal, in an effort to get fit, I did some hiking in the Bow Valley and snapped this shot:
which caused me to have a weird bidirectional space-time déjà vu experience in real time. It was so odd, recalling shadows of Camino-past and anticipation of Camino-future while on a walk while during which I was trying very hard to stay in the moment that I went home and did the drawing at the top of this post.
I also wrote this note in my journal:
It’s not a new sentiment, that wherever you go, there you are with your pesky shadow trailing along everywhere, but I confess I haven’t looked at my shadow quite the same way since.
Of course, there’s the metaphorical shadow of my father that has accompanied me everywhere since he died. It’s here in the drawings, in the memories as I walk, in my dream conversations when we sit together and chat over lattes (his no foam, mine with lots). Flipping though my photos using the search term ‘shadow’, I came across this one, taken back in… 1969? Dad, me on the right, my brother on the left, our shadows stretched across the snow right here in the Rockies.
Hm. I should draw that. Feels like it belongs in the memoir…
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Note: This post is free and available to everyone, but the one where you’ll see how I take that image and integrate it into the manuscript will be a special treat for paid subscribers. Or, for after the book comes out… whenever that might be.