This week was supposed to be the beginning of a great couple of weeks. One of my Camino friends, my Omega friend from my 2017 Camino Frances, Katja was scheduled to fly in to Dallas to begin her first trip to the United States and the great State of Texas.
She was to arrive on Friday and after a short visit in Dallas including a Katy Trail walk, we (most of the Texas Pilgrims) were headed to the Big Bend and Big Bend National Park. We scheduled an overnight in Marfa for a little culture (west Texas style) and maybe the Marfa Lights.
After that, 3 days of hiking and outdoor adventures in a part of Texas that is remote, wild, beautiful and very different. When they wrote the lyrics to Deep in the heart of Texas, they were surely thinking of the Big Bend when they wrote, “the stars at night are big and bright“, there are few places in America that have so little light pollution.
The Chisos Mountains, Santa Elena Canyon, Emory Peak, Pinnacles Trail and many more. It would have been an excellent adventure and probably something the likes of which she’d never seen. Many Texan’s haven’t either, including Becky who was going to be part of the posse.
After our trek to Big Bend, Katja was heading off on her own to see Carlsbad Caverns, San Antonio, Austin and the Hill Country then, back to Dallas and home to Germany. The Texas Pilgrims could not join her on this adventure as we had to be back in Dallas for the wedding of another Pilgrim, Mr. G to Christina. That wedding date unfortunately had to be rescheduled.
Life is a funny thing and it reminds me regularly just how little control we have in the big picture. A virus, the novel CoVid-19, something that I heard described as being the closest thing there is to being both biological and chemical, has killed hundreds of thousands, about 1/3 of them here in the U.S. Besides the loss of life, economies are in tatters, friends and families separated, weddings postponed and yes, holidays cancelled. But, we will get through this. Friendships will endure, holidays and weddings can be rescheduled and hopefully jobs regained. For those who lost loved ones, we collectively grieve for them.
For my friend Katja, I hope we can one day show her the wonders of the Big Bend. If not, I hope that we meet again somewhere with dusty boots and big smiles but, that may not be. So my sister, your presence will be missed, Texas would not have known what hit it. Be strong, your Ziegen Bruder will miss you as will all your other Texas friends. ¡Hasta luego!
Here’s a taste of what awaits you Big Bend.
Thank you, my Uphill Goat Brother. I re-started what I call „Meditative Walks“ today together with five beautiful souls and we stated that, while the world seems to be on hold, lots of things continue to be moving. So, trust, we will meet somewhere and some time with our dusty packs and boots. Ultreia!