A big wind came up and I hoped a storm would break the heat. But it just blew alot of dust around, and at sunset we had to bar doors and windows against mosquitoes. Itdidn’t do much for our comfort level, but—here’s where the Chemin takes you—we weregrateful. We were grateful because we had (albeit narrowly) escaped heatstroke; becausethe shelter, though unbelievably hot, was clean and quiet; and most of all, because it sleptsix but we had it to ourselves. No people to deal with at the end of your (and their)tether; no sodden bathrooms. No snoring. Pilgrim camaraderie was all very well, butsometimes it was too damn much.
Denise Fainberg, Walking Through Sunflowers: Through Deepest France on the Road to Compostela
gratitude, pilgrim, pilgrimage