18/05/2026
I find it utterly impossible that I started walking the Camino exactly a year ago today, and I’m painfullyyyyy nostalgic reminiscing about the journey. Thirty-two days, 500 miles, dozens of new friends, and more sleepless nights than I’d like to remember, it was one of the hardest and most rewarding things I’ve ever done.
My dad always jokes about “Type 2 fun,” and while I knew even in the moment that I’d someday feel nostalgic for this experience, it was absolutely Type 2 fun. Some parts were decidedly not enjoyable at the time (the snoring omg, the blisters, the body aches), but as I pushed myself toward Santiago, I slowly fell in love with that pace of life, that routine, those connections, and all the ways Olive showed up along the way. So many people return to walk the Camino and I couldn’t understand why until now, a year removed from the experience, longing to do it again, too.
Last week, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and alongside missing this experience, I’m grieving the body that carried me so faithfully for hundreds of miles. I’m hopeful I’ll be back to my active self soon, but this Camino happened exactly when I needed it to, and hindsight has made that abundantly clear. They say the Camino provides everything you need and while I found that cheesy, I also found it true. And in a way, it’s continued to provide a whole year later, offering me perspective, gratitude, and a reminder of what my body is capable of as I learn how to navigate this new obstacle.
This weekend, we commemorated the anniversary of the walk by hosting my Camino Parents .oshea.smith and JD — the podiatrist and nurse I met on day one who later saved my feet (and maybe my Camino??). We reminisced, watched The Way, and retold all the highs and lows of this grand adventure. Oh, how I’ll always be grateful for it!
