In this article, Sylvie Caouette, a guide at Spiritours, shares the testimony of her very first transformative experience on the Camino de Santiago, which changed her life.
Following a series of unfortunate events several years ago, I decided to embark on the Camino de Santiago. I was setting out on a long two-and-a-half-month walk, something I truly needed. I began in France on the Le Puy-en-Velay route, followed by the famous French Way, passing through Finisterre, and ending my pilgrimage in Muxia in late October.
The first morning, after the pilgrim’s mass at the Cathedral of Le Puy, the priest opened the great doors, proclaiming, “Your journey begins here.” Imagine the chills and the excitement of the moment. Here began my transformation, which would mark the rest of my life.
The Camino de Santiago as a Path to Forgiveness
During the first days, I told myself I needed to start forgiving… there was so much to forgive—or so I thought.
I came to realize that, no matter what had been done to me, whom I needed to forgive, including myself, or what I had to forgive, if all of this had led me to the Camino de Santiago, it wasn’t forgiveness I needed—it was gratitude!
What a moment of liberation and bliss. With a heart full of gratitude, I walked the 1,600 km.
A New Life After the Camino de Santiago
I made wonderful connections, some of which have turned into lasting friendships. I experienced hardships that made me stronger. I laughed, I cried, I sang, I danced… my pilgrimage was, in fact, life condensed.
Upon arriving in Muxia, I can honestly say that I fell in love with the person I had become and my new life.
Since then, I’ve shared my passion for pilgrimages and long walks and have been living my best life!
By Sylvie Caouette
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