Very few things leave me speechless but an email from a very nice lady I know did manage it…

I am writing to you on behalf of the NEDWA Committee to see if you would be our guest speaker at an event scheduled for Monday 9 March to celebrate International Womens Day (IWD).  We want an inspirational woman as the guest speaker and everyone of us considers your camino walk (and, indeed, the reasons behind it) are truly inspirational besides being of immense interest, plus, we have in you, the added bonus of such an inspirational woman being a NEDWA member!

Gerry suggested I re-read and maybe it was a typo and they were actually looking for an INTERESTING woman but he was wrong.  I was really touched to be asked and whilst I would rather stand and sing to an audience than talk to one, I am definitely up for the challenge.

The process of preparing for this led me back to my blog which I read from cover to cover.  It was the first time I’ve read it as a reader, rather than blogger and it brought back so many wonderful memories.  I laughed and cried my way through and felt thouroughy wrung out at the end of it.  WOW what a journey we had!

I also did some digging into the history of the camino… it may now be a pilgrimage to St James but before this it was Roman, and before this it was Celt and before this early humans from the dawn of time have been walking this path… I was just one of millions and millions.

I also re-visited my photos and put together a slightly longer presentation.

Then I repacked my bag and ventured off to give my talk.

I thought if I could talk for 15 minutes and hold folks attention then all would be fine.  In the end I talked for an hour and then another hour over lunch and just talking about the walk made me cry some more… what is it about this path that has such an impact on us… forever marked in some way by it’s magic?

I had a wonderful time reliving my experience and I thank the ladies of NEDWA very much for the opportunity.