There are no words that can fully express the feelings that overwhelm you when you walk into the plaza in front of the cathedral at the end of your journey. The emotions flood, seasoned with your aches and pains and general exhaustion into an overwhelming mix of satisfaction, relief, and accomplishment.
This is reflected in the broad smiles and twinkling wet eyes as you look around the plaza and see all the other faces enduring the same emotional mixed salad. People you have never seen before, pilgrims that have walked different routes, and people you may have seen all along the way all hugging and smiling. Here is a family from Peru posing for their photo:
I have previously written about the importance of the scallop shell The original story was that pilgrims in the 10th through 13th century would continue past Santiago to the coast and carry a scallop shell back to their parish priest as proof of their pilgrimage. The pilgrims would present his proof to his priest and have his sins forgiven. By the 13th century, the unscrupulous vendors found that if they brought back a basket of shells to Paris, Spire, or Vienna, they could sell them. This caused the Bishop in Santiago to develop the Compostela. A certificate in Latin that proved that you walked the Camino. Below is my newest:
This now gives me 3 Compostela, one Muxiana, and one Fisterra. With my sins, I will have to keep walking for some time.
Joe and I encountered a Camino Angel this morning at breakfast. Camille is a French Canadian 34 year old who has a gift for causing people to be comfortable enough to open their hearts and their souls to her as she intently listened. She had completed the French Way and was about to head out to Finisterre. We watched as she was approached by scores of pilgrims she had encountered along the way approaching her with big smiles and moist eyes as they hugged. People of all ages. She sat with Joe and me for an hour and we found ourselves telling our most intimate tales. She has an amazing gift and she shares it with all who need it asking nothing in return. We are blessed to have met her and we wish her all the best.
caminopapi 
Meeting Camille was one of those rare events in life. She is a young woman, only child, who is grieving the recent death of her father, concerned for her mother’s welfare, and striving to find her career passion after finishing a Masters of Anthropology.
She is a very gifted young woman. She has a unique ability to listen, ask probing questions without giving offense, and help guide the speaker to a place of comfort that would have been elusive without her empathy. She is a natural at this. I urged her to consider doing this professionally. She is that effective already!
¡Buen Camino, Camille!
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Congratulations to you and Joe – you continue to inspire us
Thank you for enabling us to enjoy your journey.
Buen Camino
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