If you had never been to where you are, what would you discover upon a visit? How would your station in life appear to you, if you were a stranger to it? If you are looking for someplace to go that’s more interesting than anywhere you’ve ever been, you might already be there.
PILGRIM
“From my years young in days of youth, God did make known to me his truth, and called me from my native place for to enjoy the means of grace. In wilderness he did me guide, and in strange lands for me provide. In fears and wants, through weal and woe, a pilgrim passed I, to and fro. ”
~ William Bradford of Plymouth Colony
When William Bradford, the longtime governor of the Plymouth Colony, first set off in 1620 to find a new beginning for his group, it wasn’t a vacation. Facing an unknown future and harsh conditions, they were driven by their quest for religious freedom, but also by a search for truth and a place to call home. In making their pilgrimage, they sought the answer to the perennial question we all face: “Who am I?” In a very real sense, they were in pursuit of themselves.
The search for deeper meaning is nothing new. Over the centuries, countless aspirants have made pilgrimages. Followers of Buddhism travel to Bodh Gaya, India to find the offspring of an ancient fig tree that once gave shelter to Siddhartha Gautama on his way to enlightenment. Turkey’s 310 mile Saint Paul Trail tracks part of its namesake’s route as he spread Christianity. While walking the rugged path, hikers get to move to the rhythm of the saint. Closer to home, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom numbered a quarter million people and culminated with “I Have A Dream”, the famous speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. For those with the time and inclination, making a pilgrimage is a means to pay homage to entities or ideas that give our lives meaning.
As a retiree, I have lots of time on my hands. One of those hands resides inside an old school clock that my Uncle Don gave me years ago, when he was the school’s custodian. Though it never leaves its place on the wall, that clock is also a pilgrim of sorts. With sixty minutes to an hour and twenty-four of those in a day, after a year, the second hand has traveled over 286 miles. Next time you hear someone say that time stood still, don’t believe it.
The annual journey of the clock reminds me of one of my own. Almost daily, dog and I go for our walk. We wander through woods and fields, across streams and meadows; a stroll that roughly covers a mile and a half. Over the year, our strides total about 500 miles, but the experience gained is much greater. Weather, wind and clouds have a say. Then, there’s the mind’s burden, but most of that gets left behind. How a handful of wild acres never stays the same remains a mystery to me. Walking with Annabelle is one journey I wouldn’t want to do without.
Until time travel is perfected, the mother of all journeys has to be our planet’s trip around the sun. Not counting the spin, we and the earth clock a trip of some 584 million miles each year. We can’t escape traveling. Could it be that the secret to being a pilgrim is to stay in one place? Bucket lists and world travel can never do more than scratch the surface of all there is to see. The greatest potential for journey is found within. Reflection and introspection are the tickets that matter most and the cost of fuel is never more than the bowl of oatmeal you had for breakfast.