The camino provides. This is a theme I learned on my first journey on the Camino de Santiago. You find very quickly that your needs are covered and most times in miraculous and unexpected ways.
So as I have been gearing up to leave there has been one steady need of mine that one might consider the most important aspect of this walk. What is that you ask? Shoes! For most people it is probably a simple chore to go and find a pair of shoes that fit. For me it has been the biggest challenge. Since I have had so much reconstructive surgery and residual damages to my foot shoes are a constant challenge.
Last time I searched in earnest and after trying on like a bazillion pairs of shoes I finally found one pair that would work for me. So about a year ago I purchased the exact same brand/size but quickly learned that since the screws had been removed after the last big walk some stuff had changed. What worked perfectly before was now a no go. So having booked my flight I started the search in earnest again.
I tried on endless shoes. I found some I thought would work however upon wearing them just a few hours I found that was not the case. So there I was at ground zero for shoes. That is when a dear friend of mine offered to help out. It just so happens he is one of the top developers at Nike. So I went to the store and tried on multiple different styles of Nike shoes. First I found that my usual size 8.5 in Nike was at least a 9. I also found that the shoes were a bit narrow. There was one style that fit relatively well. So maybe with a bit more width it would be perfect.
Using the brilliant customization interface on the Nike web site I got to customize everything about the shoes. It is amazing how many things you can customize. I chose blue and yellow since they are the colors of the camino. There is also a feature to add a little message on the inside of the tongue of the shoe.
It was exciting to see the creation and so I showed my friend Chris. Unbeknownst to me went ahead and placed the order and had them sent to me. Meanwhile I was was getting a bit concerned about what I was really going to wear on this journey that so highly depends on my feet and shoes. I wondered if I would have to go barefooted. Would I have to try to make the one flimsy pair of Sketchers work even though I knew they wouldn’t be tough enough for the whole journey?
This is also where I would normally start to worry. So much unknown. But that one thing I learned before kept coming back to me: The camino provides! Have faith and do not worry. Trust that you will be taken care of.
Then last night at around a little past 8pm the doorbell rang. The UPS delivery I was expecting with my trekking pants had arrived.. but there was one extra box! I wasted no time ripping the packaging open. Inside was the most beautiful pair of shoes! Immediately I put them on.
What I was met with could only be described as the Cinderella effect! I put the shoe on my left foot first because that it the one that tells the truth of the shoes. It was like my foot went into a cloud! I know Nike brands the whole Air thing but this was a new sensation for me. It was like the whole shoe was designed to fit me perfectly. All the areas that are usually problematic were non-existent.
Putting on the other shoe and walking around resulted in squeels of joy. I am still completely in shock that they fit so perfectly. This is what I needed the most! I also have to say that my heart is filled with gratitude to my friend @ChrisPrimeish who I will now call my patron St.of Shoes. Thank you so much for not only giving me exactly what I needed but so much more. These shoes will be an integral part of my journey. Even as I write my eyes tear up with joy at the kindness of the gift. A gift that you can’t put a dollar value on because it is so much more than just shoes!
Thank you so much Chris! Words cannot truly express the depths of my gratitude!
