I don’t consider myself a particularly graceful person. Do I have grace? I try. Am I graceful? Absolutely not.

If you attend Catholic school, particularly a Jesuit Catholic school, you’ll hear a lot about ‘God’s Grace,’ which sounds like a good indica strain or a particularly heady IPA (note to future self). It’s one of those Catholic phrases where definition changes with context. It might mean the opportunity for forgiveness, an answered prayer, resilience, or a divine spirit. 

My preferred definition of grace is “poise under pressure.” It’s a small mantra I sustain when I travel, because as I mentioned, dear reader – I’m not particularly graceful.

Here are a few examples that prove it:

• My own mother had to grab my pants to prevent them from falling down in a Paris airport as I wrestled with loading my backpack onto a plane.

• We violated French hospitality law (legal and social) by trying to eat a takeaway pizza in a restaurant after ordering it to go.

• I accidentally keep speaking Spanish in France because I don’t speak French and my brain defaults to the only other language I know.

I’m sure I’ll have more examples for you by the end of the Camino.

But arriving in St. Jean Pied-de-Port, the starting point of our Long Walk, and I can’t help but feel graceful. I mean, just look at this gorgeous town nestled at the base of the Pyrenees:

It’s a town full of grace, anticipation, and hope. Over 60,000 pilgrims have started Their Way here in SJPDP in 2023. Sure enough, you can’t walk 30 seconds without seeing a scallop shell-adorned backpack and hearing a local offer a ‘Bon Camino!’ as you walk by. 

The whole town is into it. Restaurants offer special ‘pilgrim menus,’ with a smaller variety of dishes at a discount for the hungry pèlerins. But let me assure you, ‘peasant food’ it is not. I’m hungry again just thinking about the bruschetta and quiche we ordered for lunch at a cafe outside the local pilgrims’ office:

With all these strangers smiling and shouting well wishes I can’t help but feel a little famous here. Doubly so when I say we’re from Seattle and watch their eyes widen. “You’ve come so far!”

And yet, so far to go. Tomorrow is arguably one of the toughest days on The Way, a tortuous trek up into the mountains before descending into Spain the next day. We’re sending our packs ahead of us to Orisson, our refuge for the evening. Less weight to threaten our ankles and endurance as we manage blisters and navigate a route that stays closed for half the year due to snow and fog. Pilgrims have perished crossing this path.

Yet, spirits are buoyant and the weather is breaking in our favor, humidity aside. Many pilgrims head past Orisson and make it all the way to Roncesvalles in Spain on Day 1. We’re playing it safe, using our first day to cover the 8km and 630m elevation gain to Orisson before coming back for more on Day 2 and descending into España.

Tomorrow will require grace. Poise under pressure. Let’s hope I’ve stocked up enough taking in the vibe of SJDPDP.

Take care, pilgrim. More to come!

-Hicks