The Camino de Santiago via Frances is a 500-plus mile journey across northern Spain, moving from east to west, from the Pyrenees Mountains in France toward the Atlantic Coast in northwestern Spain. Some walk this ancient pilgrimage for fitness, others for the travel experience, and most have walked this road in search of or longing for what is often beyond expression, deep within the soul, born of the spirit.

It is a journey of awareness. Awareness of physical limits, and physical gratitude, the earthy awareness of breath, the smell of olive groves, the feel of footsteps and foot holds, uphill, downhill, pace. Awareness of other pilgrims along the way, some who share blessings before departing. The blessing remains. Awareness of eternity.

All along the way, I had prayed, “I wait for you, Holy One, my soul waits for you. What do you want me to see, to notice? At the conclusion of the road, 500-plus miles, I entered a small chapel to rest and pray. After praying, when I lifted my eyes, my gaze was led to notice a little message on the noticeboard. It simply said, “I have been waiting for you.,” signed “God.”

Awareness is born of the Spirit opening our soul. It comes toward us with open arms from the heart of Great Love, who simply welcomes us, saying, “I’ve been waiting for you.”