You felt that she was fading away, that she was getting further and further from you, that she was deeply unhappy, that she was being ignored because society was telling you to do so.
But you felt in your heart, in that pit, in the deepest part of you, that that was wrong. That she’s actually the only thing that you really can trust in the world, not anything or anyone else.
So you fought for her. You risked everything to find her again, to meet her again, to respect her again at every moment. Because without her presence, nothing in this world will ever give you pure enjoyment, and we have the right to enjoy.
So you took a leap of faith, risked everything, and sold everything to fight for her here on the Camino de Santiago. You wake up every morning and walk every day, hoping that you’ll get just a bit closer to her.
And you are. And you found her. You found that connection. It’s like you’re nine years old again. And of course, there will be moments when society will creep into your mind and you’ll get lost for a little moment, but you’ll know how to get back.
You now respect her, but you also now respect your mind, and what it does to protect you. You respect her, and you also now respect your body, and how resilient it is to protect you. And to protect her.
We are finally feeling what it feels like to enjoy life, because to enjoy life you have to respect the you now, the you in two seconds, the you in two years, the you underneath all of the skin, her.
We don’t just want to have joy now, but joy tomorrow, and forever. To have joy now needs forgiveness and listening, but to have joy forever… that requires deep respect. That requires fighting for it, for her, right now.
Ali Walks Around 