Becoming The Best You Can Be

I try to lead my life becoming a better person each and every day. Sometimes, I forget that one is only as strong as its weakest point. Every so often, I like to visualize myself as a human weapon, heh, as funny as that sounds. Being human, I have to take care of my mind, body and spirit. Why? To fight evil and save the world, of course. :) All three parts must be tended to and grown for one to be well-balanced. If I neglect one area, then I am only as strong as that weakest point.

Giving Thanks For the Simplest Things

When you acknowledge and give thanks for even the smallest things that put a smile on your face, the feeling of joy and happiness amasses in your heart. St. Clare said to notice even the smallest blade of grass and we can.

There is a Poor Clares monastery in Los Altos Hills, which I visited yesterday. They have no internet or TV. The only ways to contact them are through phone, snail mail or in person visit. Yet, the ladies here are so full of joy.

Look. Really Look.

So I went for a walk around Shoreline today. There were some beautiful flowering trees and scenes as the sun hit things at just the right angle. Too bad I didn't have anything to capture photos, right? Perhaps. Because I didn't have my camera, I had to really take in what I was seeing, memorizing the color, the shapes, the moment.

white sailboats, all without sails except 1
gray and blue sky
sun streaming from the right
emerald green grass, warm wind blowing gently
purple, pink, yellow puffy flowers dotting the trees
birds with shiny black glistening heads, pecking at the putting green

Do You Stop and Savor the Moment?

One of my favorite moments in spring is when I look up at the indigo sky and see white flower petals contrasted so shockingly against inky blackness. Flower fragrances intensify the warm evening air. What can be better than when rain has also just fallen, adding an enriching scent. This is spring at night in California.

During the day, flowering trees take on a more pure and innocent character. Petals blush pink and the visual details are a feast for the eyes. Next time you see something pretty, pause a moment. Breathe deeply and take it all in. You won't regret it.

Final Pack List

So I thought it would be useful for people to know what was in my backpack when I ended the Camino. A lot of my stuff was actually not new and I wouldn't recommend buying a whole new wardrobe for the trip. Use what you have if you can.

-REI Flash65 backpack (light, less than 3 lb) (I think I could have gone down to a 55L size)
-REI Expedition sleeping bag (honestly I was glad I had a super warm sleeping bag; even at nights I was too hot, being hot was much better than being too cold)
-pack cover
-2 hiking poles
-sleeping bag cover that came with my sleeping bag (I actually used this bag for holding my clothing/wearables)
-Granite Gear compression sack (22L size) for my sleeping bag
-3 pairs wool socks (burned holes in 1other pair on a radiator in Ferreiras)
-2 pairs REI synthetic liner socks (burned holes in 1 pair as well)
-synthetic turtleneck with wick-away fabric
-synthetic Columbia tunic fleece
-an old wool hat that covers ears I never really wore
-Turtle Fur neck gaiter (I used it for my head as a hat, as a gaiter
-OR glacier leg gaiters (great b/c they kept my pants cleaner longer and protect me from the cold)
-1 pair snow trax (only used one day)
-convertible, breathable long pants
-ski-type pants that were excellent in the rain
-1 wool base top and bottom for daytime wear, 1 synthetic polar-tec bottom as PJs
-ski jacket - jacket was def a little too heavy when I was moving, but when I was still, it was a godsend
-Asolo hiking boots with ankle support
-holey cashmere sweater
-2 pairs ExOfficio Give-n-Go underwear
-workout tank with built in bra
-emergency bivy sack
-2 emergency blankets (maybe this was a little too much)
-compass (only used that once through the Pyrenees)
-1 roll of toilet paper
-some feminine products (enough for 2 days)
-guidebook which I used in the beginning a lot, but then looked at it less and less as my Camino went on
-knife with 3 inch blade
-1st Aid kit (tums, anti-diarrhea medicine, advil, 3 pack moleskin, small scissors, bandages, alcohol wipes, anti-bacterial ointment, elastic bandage, wound dressing...I had a lot in a ziploc bag, thankfully didn't have to use it much, but glad I had it just in case)
-small travel sewing kit
-3oz sunscreen, 2 oz cetaphil lotion, 2 small toothpaste tubes, toothbrush, soap bar (i could have survived on half a full size bar)
-converter, phone charger, headphones
-a pair of earrings
-pen
-bikelight (so useful in the dark)
-flip-flops
-glasses and sunglasses
-hair ties and bobby pins
-snacks are essential if you are travelling around the holidays when stores are closed for vacation, but you don't need that much, just 1-2 day supply; my emergency energy bar was a baguette I'd buy whenever I came by a bakery (panaderia)...sometimes that baguette would be in my bag for 3-4 days
-gummy bear vitamins :)
-a candy bar (fast energy)
-big shell from Pablito; I used it once in a while to drink water with from a fountain
-blue ribbon from the midnight Christmas mass at Notre Dame in Paris
-1 big plastic water bottle
-2 trash bags

Camino Frances Maps

So, Tom said it was a little confusing to follow along with where I was exactly. Here are some links to maps of the Camino Frances route to give you a general idea:
http://www.santiago-compostela.net/frances/index_cf_en.html
http://www.elcaminosantiago.com/Camino-Santiago-Map-Camino-Frances-Google.htm
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/el-camino-frances/topic3963.html?sid=f248106c57e60a9dfed32ad9aa686690
You don't really need a map to walk the Camino, though it might help at times. Just follow the yellow arrow, white/red stripes, yellow/red stripes, or sometimes the green/white stripes in Navarra.

I'll also be cleaning my past entries up a bit and adding English translations for some of you who aren't so Spanish-literate. ;)

1 Week Back in US

Current event craziness. First, Giants winning against the Pats at Superbowl, then Linsanity esp in the Asian American community and the whole HHS Mandate debacle.

You gotta love California drivers. They cut you off so often. I even had one truck driver behind me speed up to get in front of me ( I was in a left turn lane), look both ways, then purposefully run a red light, going straight ahead. I wanted to report his rump but didn't get his license plate down on time. Now that I think about it, I should have just taken a photo. Doh. Spanish drivers are not nearly as aggressive. They were nice and let me cross whenever I was at a crosswalk.
Thought I'd add a photo of myself to prove I'm back in the Bay. ;) See, driving and wearing normal clothes! Regular clothes make me feel chilly. I miss my wool base! It'd be weird wearing it out though. People would think I'm out in my undetwear. My mom and bro hate these sunglasses on me, saying it doesn't match my face, then again I like really weird sunglasses sometimes. :) No smiling since I'm all serious after the Camino. Hah, not.

By the way, I keep thinking of how many of you prayed for me and how hard you prayed. God can do such amazing and great things. So many nuns, priests, brothers, fantastic friends who love God and/or me and maybe even you who I don't personally know. I honestly think all the fabulous weather I had was seriously because of you. ;) Thank you thank thank you. Love, Christina