Day 16: Journey's End
We have finally made it to the end of our pilgrimage! We made it home last night after a long, long, long day in airports and airplanes. Today begins all of the fun of unpacking, washing clothes, finding in which bags we left everything, sorting through all of the paperwork and gifts to determine what we bought and for whom, and to get to try and get back to a semi-normal routine after so many days of travel. After so many different hotel rooms, it was nice to wake up this morning in my own bed, with my own pillow, drink coffee from my own mug, and just be at home. At the same time, it was so nice to be in so many different locations, to see such beauty, and to experience so many historical things.
I won't miss the long days in the airports (we left London yesterday at what was 12:30 AM and got home at 10:30 PM, both listed at local Modesto times). I won't miss driving in England or Rome. I won't miss packing and re-packing, as we go from one hotel to another and a different bed and shower (some of which were never designed for someone that is my size). I won't miss not knowing if or when we are going to be able to go to mass or even showing up and finding the church not open. I won't miss crowded airports.
I will miss praying morning and evening prayer every day with my son and my wife, who are the best traveling partners ever. I will miss the gorgeous churches and shrines that we were able to visit and the wonderful blessing we received. I will miss being able to pray directly at the tombs of Saints that I have "known." I will miss the wonderful feelings of peace that we felt almost every day. I will miss being able to pray for the intentions of so many people who asked me to pray for them during the trip. I take wonderful experiences and memories with me forever going forward. What a wonderful experience it is to go on a pilgrimage and not on a trip!
I won't miss the long days in the airports (we left London yesterday at what was 12:30 AM and got home at 10:30 PM, both listed at local Modesto times). I won't miss driving in England or Rome. I won't miss packing and re-packing, as we go from one hotel to another and a different bed and shower (some of which were never designed for someone that is my size). I won't miss not knowing if or when we are going to be able to go to mass or even showing up and finding the church not open. I won't miss crowded airports.
I will miss praying morning and evening prayer every day with my son and my wife, who are the best traveling partners ever. I will miss the gorgeous churches and shrines that we were able to visit and the wonderful blessing we received. I will miss being able to pray directly at the tombs of Saints that I have "known." I will miss the wonderful feelings of peace that we felt almost every day. I will miss being able to pray for the intentions of so many people who asked me to pray for them during the trip. I take wonderful experiences and memories with me forever going forward. What a wonderful experience it is to go on a pilgrimage and not on a trip!