SACRED SILENCE TRAINING DAY #19

I FOUND MY OUTFIT! I FOUND MY OUTFIT! I FOUND MY OUTFIT! (Now there’s something I never thought I’d say!) This week’s day of silence I spent with the incredibly patient staff at www.sojournoutdoors.com in Barrie who have agreed to completely outfit me for my 800KM trek on The Camino de Santiago. I spent 4 hours shopping. (Now there’s something I never thought I’d say!) I’m sure it would have taken me an hour tops if I could have talked. When I tried to apologize to the staff, they told me that it’s good practice dealing with “handicapped” customers. Nice.

Here’s something I’m beginning to grab a hold of. I haven’t quite got it figured out, but this week the staff at Sojourn and Harvey’s (they really do make a hamburger a beautiful thing) helped shed some light on a working theory I have. In the words of Monty Python, “THIS is my theory.”

I’ve always felt that “connecting” with someone is more about an unfigureoutable chemistry than any tangible reality. For me, conversation has always been my porthole to chemistry. Sometimes, I’ll meet someone and it’s easy, right from the start. With others though, it just seems like the conversation misfires multiple times. Even so, I’ve almost always been able to connect with just about anyone through my conversational prowess. (Ya I just used that word!) I discovered this skill at an early age as I had to quickly develop strategies in order to divert the bully’s attention away from me. Sometimes though, there’s nothing I can do to repair the “miscommunication” between myself and the other person. But what is it that happens when one person doesn’t speak and there’s STILL a connection? WHAT THE HECK IS THAT? I’ve noticed over the last 19 weeks that some people still connect with me really easily, even though I’m not speaking. They understand what I’m trying to communicate right away. While others just don’t get it. And when I can’t talk, this means I’m unable to carry the load or repair the lines of communication with my conversational prowess. (Such a pretentious word, right?) Anyway – unfigureoutable chemistry – where does it come from? Why does it happen with some and not with others?

My dawg Tucker LOVES riding in the car with his head out the sunroof. You wouldn’t know it from this picture though, would you?

It LOOKS like he absolutely hates it, right? People tell me I have a “resting bitch face” and wonder if I actually enjoy life. And now with my beard and bald head and not talking, combined with my resting bitch face – well some are worried that other pilgrims on the Camino will avoid me like I’m the lost awkward white guy from ISIS! (So-longa bin Marshall) So – I’ve been smiling A LOT! I hope it helps put others at ease, but I kinda feel that I look like this…
Spiritual Benefit During My 19th Day Of Silence = ?/10 (I’m starting to rethink this part of my posts. “Spiritual Benefit”? Really? What does that even mean? And how do I actually gauge this? If anyone has some advice for revamping my rating system, I’m all ears.