Meaningful Moment
Today I delivered my Camino presentation for the Genesee Valley Hiking Club. I had about 18 people there. Based on the reaction of the folks in the room, I can say it went well. It was nice to see some old friends as well as some new acquaintances.
Anyway people dug the presentation. I got laughs where I used humor and piqued interest where I was talking about an interesting cultural or emotional event.
I finished after 90 minutes and many people stayed for an extra 30 either to ask questions or simply to talk.
It was nice that people enjoyed both my Ireland video and my composite 2014 to 2019 video.
Doing this presentation helped me process some of the pre-trip anxiousness that I am feeling. I am concerned about the temperatures in Madrid which are in the mid-90s even though the seasonal average should be the mid 80s.
I am not concerned about my ability and Deb's ability to communicate and tell each other what issues we are having. We have a good relationship.
One thing I do wonder about is whether we have the time which is 18 days to do 200 miles which averages 11 mi a day. Now that I do the math, it seems like we will need some extra mileage days to build in a buffer for rest days.
Random Thought of the Day
Deb posed an interesting thought experiment in the midst of all the weekend's hecticness.
She observed that it seems important to people "to matter". We are both dog lovers, and attribute to our "forever" dogs characteristics that perhaps, less canine-friendly folks do. We believe that dogs have personalities and traits, not because of genetics but because of how they are treated. There is a parallel there to people. The question became, "Do our dogs believe that they 'matter'?"
And then the extension questions came to me as I thought it over:
How important is it to me to matter?
Is there something "wrong" with people for whom it doesn't matter "to matter"?
At what level does the drive or need "to matter" lead to loss of self-respect and dignity?
Now that I have been retired for several years, I have not had the feeling "of mattering" in a work environment. I've joined a neighborhood association board position and a hiking club board position.
The real meaning of my life has shifted to my son and daughter-in-law and granddaughter and grandson, as I continue family relationships with siblings and mother.
But it is a greatly different existence. Part of the disharmony is that I liked my job as a software engineer, liked the people that I worked with, and (I believe) that they liked me.
It's now several years on, and I still think about the change in my life.
Notable memories
King's Prep was a small experimental Catholic High School, founded over St Andrews Seminary. It lasted three years when the successor Bishop closed the school.
With only days before I leave for the Camino Madrid, this weekend was also my Kings Prep 50th annual high school reunion. Talk about a confluence of emotional feelings.
I knew it would be nice to see some familiar faces like Laura and Mary and Joanie and Mike. I also knew that Rod and Terry and Dan would not be there. That was sad for me because they were the crowd that I hung out with. I should note that Rod had a previous travel plan, Terry has gone absent, and Dan passed some years ago.
Although with most of the people there, I have no direct connection, however we did and do share the bond of King's Prep high school.
My favorite event was leading about 20 fellow alumnae on a downtown tour which was well received despite that some of the areas were not so glamorous. We crossed the Smith Street bridge to look at the Genesee gorge, went to the high falls plaza to see the High Falls cascade, crossed both parts of the Inner Loop Expressway to see the falls from the top and the sluice gates that control the Genesee River. And then finally we crossed the Platt Street bridge for a truly spectacular view of the High Falls waterfall. We ended a nice walk atop the Genesee brewery for a drink, sunshine, beautiful weather and a bit more camaraderie.
Sitting on the roof of the Genesee Brew House, overlooking the High Falls, I met a nice and interesting young man who has spent his life in Thailand working at a research center. It was interesting to hear his take as an American who has spent most of his adult life living outside of America. I also met his mother, who is native born Japanese, and it gave me a chance to most minimally practice my long forgotten Japanese language skills. LOL
High Falls
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