Finishing Strong

Today was not a day for walking, that part of the Camino is now over.  Yesterday was our last day and as we walked in to Santiago together, none of us really knew how to feel.  After another glorious day walking through forests that now were home to eucalyptus trees and with the scent of them following our trail, so much was going through our heads.  I say "ours" and that is the group that had somehow found its way together in the last few days: three Brazilian girls, one young lady from Oregon, me and my friend Darragh.  Now Darragh is a dark horse and Darragh has taught me much this Camino and the one powerful thing he said is that really the only prayer we need to say is "I'm alive and I'm grateful", he has his reasons for saying that.
Anyway, we walked through the outskirts of Santiago and found our Albergue, then went to get our "Compostelas" - certificates to say we had walked the Camino and then had a quiet evening.  I think maybe we expected a mariachi band or something.  I found myself with a vague unsettled feeling but as I have learned, I just had to wait.  When I went to the cathedral this morning which is so massive that I can only imagine how the pilgrims of the past have felt to see it towering over them as they stumbled into the city, there was mass in the morning and at this mass they swung the Botufumeiro - the huge incense burner which takes 8 men to swing it.  It is the most amazing sight and all I can say is that it moved something so deeply in me that it was hard not to gasp.  It swung down one nave and then the other, unbelievable and then at the pilgrim mass later in the day, the same thing was done.  This was such a gift and I was so grateful so see it.  But the thing that struck me so much too was that high on the altar is the statue of St. James and all through mass people were walking behind it and hugging the statue as is the custom.  It was strangely moving to see what was going on behind the altar and all the faithful who were pouring in to do this, even if they questioned that belief.  I visited the relics and my Camino was over, my sins forgiven.
So tomorrow I head to the end of the earth, Finisterre or Fisterre.  I take the bus, some are walking but for now my walking is over. 
Yes, my darling son, I finished strong and know that all the support, prayers and positive thoughts from everyone lit my path and lightened my load over these 500 miles.
Thank you all so much.