à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Camino de Santiago
What Will You Say “No” To In 2013?
In our culture, no is sometimes considered a dirty word, synonymous with negativity, rudeness or abruptness, especially if it’s not followed by a disclaimer, plausible excuse or explanation uttered in a dulcet tone. Yes is often considered positive, supportive, agreeable, embracing. On the level of soul, however, no might be the most affirmative word a … Continue reading
Are There “Accidents”?
“Were you in an accident?” asked the chunky, spiky haired masseuse at my physical therapist’s office as I lay on a table. She was working on my left foot and leg, per her boss’ instructions. “No,” I said. “I walked more than 500 miles.” And maybe trekking that distance, in my case, created physical effects … Continue reading
Guns: On the Camino and Here
Not long ago, I walked a rainy, misty stretch of the Camino, between the farming villages of Hontanas and Castrojeriz, with a German man my age. He told me that he came to Spain because he was feeling alienated from the growing corporatization of his own culture and was out of sorts with himself. “Me, … Continue reading
The Price of Finishing
“Where are you heading?” asked the man seated next to me in the scenic car as Amtrak‘s California Zephyr rumbled across Illinois. I was multitasking — peering out the window while reviewing photos on my laptop — and glanced over. With his worn sweater, baggy pants and bug-shaped eyeglasses that harkened from the 1980s, he … Continue reading
A Room of One’s Own (sort of)
While I was on the Camino, sleeping on bunk beds in rooms with as many as several dozen people, I often longed for a room of my own, without snoring and rustling, with space to spread out my belongings. Thanks to the generosity of a Denver writer friend and her husband, I’m staying in one … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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