advice from Blanche de Richemont
“My mother fears leaving for Compostela”
At 54, my mother decided to accompany me on the Camino de Santiago, which I know well. As D-day approaches, his fears increase and temper his enthusiasm. She wonders if she will be able to keep up, if she will be able to support the weight of her backpack. She fears the unexpected, such as bad weather conditions or minor injuries. How can I reassure her so that she leaves with a light mind?
Marine
The point of view of Blanche de Richemont, travel writer
Dear Marine, it’s wonderful to want to share this adventure with your mother. You will experience a moment together that will mark you for life. Tell her she's not worried about whether she'll be able to keep up. Because she can.
As you know, the Way of Saint James is a pilgrimage which pushes each person to set out in their own way, without performance. It is also intended to initiate and encourage us to overcome our fears in order to surpass ourselves.
I met 80-year-old women and men who forgot their age, carried by the goal to achieve, the joy of sharing with the pilgrims and living in the countryside under the sun and the rain. Everything that comes along the way is right, because it is necessary for us to evolve.
May your mother leave with a light mind. If things are not going well, there will always be solutions to stop you, find care and help. She should prepare herself physically by walking regularly and only take the essentials in her backpack so that it does not weigh too much. Then she will discover that she risks nothing other than surprising herself by simply being happy to hit the road with you every day.
