Route: Sarria – Portomarin
Distance: 22+2 km (Total: 657 km)

They say about the province of Galicia that it rains here all the time. Indeed we experienced that yesterday, we experienced it today.

As I mentioned before, Sarria is a place from which many pilgrims initiate their journey. We could see that yesterday at our albergue and today on the way. Though it is still not a crowd you can feel a change of the dynamics.

I am so happy to be walking at this time of the year! So far it has been relatively empty at the albergues and quiet. Silence, peace. This is helping achieving a meditative state, meeting God and other person. In a crowded environment human encounters tend to be very shallow.

Today’s stage was one of the most scenic I have walked so far. The first 2,5 hours of march were even without rain. It felt like a miracle. Yes, I know that some of you are praying for me so this good weather should not come as no surprise.

It is Friday today so I go through the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary and what I see again on my side while going over Crowing with the Thorns, … a line of barbed wire…

The Galician landscape is very agricultural. The smells are very farmlike. Some weird looking buildings attract my attention. It turns our that they are actually some kind of granaries.

Another thing that impresses me along the way are multiple stream flowing across or along the trail. It looks spectacular! I was so lost in my admiration of the surroundings in the morning that I stepped into a „mine field”, or „cow patty”. This was for good luck obviously. An hour later I my boots received a proper shower under a strong sideroad waterfall.

Strong waterfalls on the Camino. Film

Camino on the water. Film

After about 14 km of walking I reach a colorful sign which informs that only 100 km remain to get to Santiago. Yipee!

Only 100 km left. Film

Just before the city of Portomarin there is another decision to be made. Which way to go to the city. I choose the historical trail. At some point I get toa narrow gorge carved out on the rocks, slippery stones which means snail pace to climb down. Just before that I see sheep in a dog yoga position. A funny look.

Meditation XXV. Anger

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger
Eph 4, 26

I tend to get angry at times, though it usually passes by quickly. I am very thankful for this emotion and the fact that I do not supress it. The anger that is kept inside us often leads to depression or passive-aggressive behaviors.

Anyway the aftermath of angry reactions can be gruesome. So I often meditate in moments of sustained anger on the fragment in which Jesus calms down the waters of the Lake Galilee. I learned that from Orzech, the charismatic priest I mentioned earlier.

There are moments, though, when a situation proving my anger comes suddenly. It is hard to calm it down with meditation.

Obviously all comes from within. So one has to take a good look at those angry feelings, tame them. Chances are, they will teach us something.

At the end of the day I very much value the recommendation from St. Paul letter to Ephesians we both remembered with Ania from our premarital courses.

do not let the sun go down on your anger

I wish …