Well I am here in St Jean -Pied-de-Port, France!  It was quite a journey to get here, I will write another post about that.  I’m here and here is a view from my location tonight.

Tomorrow I start first leg of a estimated 35 day pilgrimage on the Camino.   I have a few reasons that I have made public and a few private ones.  As I reflect on life and where I am at 56 years of age.

Today I reflect and pray for family living and dead and future generations.  Today August 6th (also, least we forget the Feast of the Transfiguration) would have been  my parents 57th wedding anniversary.  Married at St Malachy’s church, Kinkora PEI.   Mom passing away in 1972 and Dad in 2012.  One of the pictures in this post is their gravesite in Oakville.

In planing to do the Camino,  instantly they came to mind.  I pray for the repose of their souls and other deceased family members.  Unfortunately too many to list here.

There is also my current family – immediate and extended.  I pray for us/them as well those to come.

Considering this, the day before I left Canada I went to my parents cemetery  to pray.  And I took this picture of their gravesite with the Camino Shell of St James and a small stone.  The small stone is from St Malachys Church, Kinkora PEI – and note the markings on the stone?   Paint.  How and why?  Well each member of my family – including Joanne & myself and our children and their loved ones. Our grandchildren range from almost 6 to several weeks old.

I plan to carry this stone with me on the Camino.  The Camino has a tradition of carrying a stone as way to reconnect with your journey in life.  I expect that around day 24 I will reach the place to leave this stone as so many pilgrims before and after I have and will do.   I will explain more about that when I get closer.