Eddies and Stars: My 35 Days Walking the French Camino

"Sometimes life gives us a second chance. We find ourselves at a place and time in life that few others will ever experience. Seize it, as if it was the last breath of air you would ever breathe. Thank you Janet Paduhovich, for taking us to this place in your life." Wayne Drumheller, M.Ed., Editor and Founder The Creative Short Story Project Her possessions pared down to necessities, Janet Paduhovich set out from Seattle, Washington, on a pilgrimage that followed the Camino Frances, the French Way, a trail that begins in St. Jean Pied de Port in France and stretches away for 500 miles over the Pyrenees and, ultimately, into Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Drawing from her daily journal, Janet recounts the rigors of the pilgrim trail, both physical and emotional, and takes us from town to rural town, and through cities, too, as she faces the challenge of a lifetime. Janet joins a flow of pilgrims that is centuries old on a walk that brings tranquility and joy, as well as pain and fear. Hints of the mystical hover about her experiences, and, against the backdrop of human frailty, Janet examines her daily experiences on her pilgrimage to gain insight about herself and others, notions of family, beliefs, and companionship. She also confronts solitude and perseveres through even this interior trial.