38 - Roger and Ruth - Walking to check-off a bucket list item leads to radical transformation and deep connections

12/06/21 • 72 min

2 Listeners

In this conversation, we caught up with Roger, who we last spoke with when he was in Astorga in mid-August (Season 1, Episode 28). Since then, he completed his Camino, returned home to Seattle, and made a major life change. Ruth, his partner, joined us for part of this conversation as she met Roger in Sarria and they walked on together to Santiago. Roger’s walk did check off a major bucket list item, but his main intention was to connect with people he met as he walked. Along the way, he formed very deep bonds with fellow pilgrims. We talk about doing a Camino the way you want to do it without shame. Roger faced judgment during his walk for taking a taxi and on social media for a daring photo by the 100km Marker. Roger also discusses what it was like to walk with 2 major celebrities that were walking at the same time he was. Ruth added so much to the conversation when she joined us. She talked about her own pilgrimage, changes she saw in Roger after he had been walking for several weeks, and how fun it was to meet all of his pilgrim friends. Both, Roger and Ruth, talked about the challenges in walking with someone and what it’s like when your partner meets you for the last part of your journey. I think Roger and Ruth are just delightful and I would’ve been honored to have walked any stage with them. You can connect with Roger on his popular podcast, “The Crossing It Off Podcast, What’s on your Bucket List?” I hope you will give his podcast a listen and that you enjoy their Camino stories.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crossing-it-off-podcast/id1574787210
https://www.facebook.com/CrosserOffer
https://www.instagram.com/crosser.offer/
To connect with Leigh:

https://linktr.ee/leighbrennan
The Camino Cafe Music Credit:

Original Song - "Finnis Terre" - written and performed by Jackson Maloney - Pilgrim, Singer, Musician, and Songwriter.

Connect with Jackson:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3fdQsSqq9pDSwKcWlnBHKR
The Camino Cafe Pilgrim Family:
Spanish for the Camino
Heading to walk soon? Here's your chance to learn some Spanish specially designed for walking the Camino. Schedule your first lesson with Maria Seco or buy a workbook today and begin feeling more confident about your upcoming Camino.
Spanish for the Camino IG
Spanish for the Camino Facebook
Camino Concierge
Questions about walking the Camino? Looking

Connect with Leigh:
Camino News Update
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Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6VN9ze3z61n6tRLtDXWuQw
Follow us on Instagram
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The Camino Cafe's intro and outro song with thanks to fellow Pilgrim, Jackson Maloney. Original Song - "Finnis Terre" - written and performed by Jackson Maloney - Singer, Musician, and Songwriter. Connect with Jackson: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3fdQsSqq9pDSwKcWlnBHKR

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-crossing-it-off-podcast/id1574787210
https://www.facebook.com/CrosserOffer
https://www.instagram.com/crosser.offer/
To connect with Leigh:

https://linktr.ee/leighbrennan
The Camino Cafe Music Credit:

Original Song - "Finnis Terre" - written and performed by Jackson Maloney - Pilgrim, Singer, Musician, and Songwriter.

Connect with Jackson:

Previous Episode

37 - Sanjiva Wijesinha - No longer strangers, a Pilgrim story of deep connection on the Camino

Welcome to the first episode of Season 2!

Camino Pilgrim, Sanjiva, is a doctor in Melbourne, Australia and he walked the Camino with his adult son, Shivantha. He later wrote about this journey in the Camino memoir, Strangers on the Camino. In this interview, you will hear several unique tips for walking a pilgrimage. You will also hear how the Camino transformed a Dad and Son relationship into one with deeper friendship, increased love, and respect for one another. If you are planning on walking a Camino with someone, you’ll benefit from hearing how they approached their walk and how those approaches strengthened their relationship and enriched their walk. I love how Sanjiva’s pilgrimage shows how one man went from being a stranger to a deep friend to his son, to Spain, to Catholicism, to the people he met along the way during and after his pilgrimage. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did!
To connect with Sanjiva:
Shivantha's speech at the book launch of Strangers on the Camino:

https://www.facebook.com/strangersonthecamino/videos/2526946677545063

Link to purchase Strangers on the Camino:

https://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Camino-Father-Holy-Trail-ebook/dp/B00JO1ZC40

Sanjiva's article 'The Camino - a Way back for Veterans' that was published in the Journal of Military and Veterans Health

https://jmvh.org/article/the-camino-de-santiago-an-ancient-way-a-way-back-for-veterans/

Sanjiva's website
https://sanjivawijesinha.com/

To connect with Leigh:

https://linktr.ee/leighbrennan
The Camino Cafe Music Credit:

Original Song - "Finnis Terre" - written and performed by Jackson Maloney - Pilgrim, Singer, Musician, and Songwriter.

Connect with Jackson:

Next Episode

39 - Suzanne Maggio - Estrellas you meet on the Camino

Felices Fiestas from Rabanal del Camino and The Camino Cafe! See the notes below for the names of Albergue and Cafe owners in the opening of today’s interview. I’m so happy to post this interview that is so full of hope, love, and light as we close out 2021. Suzanne, Camino Pilgrim, social worker, teacher, and writer, offered so much wisdom about walking the Camino. What started as a way to “reset” at age 60, turned into way more than Suzanne ever anticipated. So much so, she wrote a book to help her process the amazing journey she started in St. Jean. Many times during this interview, I just wanted to stop, and, as they say, “drop the mic”. I found her insights and the way she articulated them so profound. I can’t wait to read her book about walking the Camino Frances and how the connections she made along the way turned into moments of wondrous illumination. Buen Camino!
Thanks to podcast friend and supporter, Mark Krahling, for introducing me to Suzanne!
Thanks to the residents of Rabanal del Camino for so warmly welcoming me to the village. They are so eager to see everyone in 2022! In order of appearance:
La Posada de Gaspar - Nati
La Taberna del Pueblo Rabanal del Camino - Adrian, Maria Jose, Angel
Tienda la Despensa - Susana
El Refugio Hosteria - Cristina
La Candela Hostal-Restaurante - Monica and Rosa
Albergue Nuestra Señora del Pilar - Isabel
Monasterio de San Salvador del Monte Irago - Father Juan Antonio
Albergue Nuestra Señora del Pilar - Esperanza
Please come visit us in Rabanal as you walk through our lovely village in the heart of the Camino Frances!

To connect with Suzanne:

https://www.suzannemaggio.com/

Estrellas - Moments of Illumination Along El Camino de Santiago

To connect with Leigh:

https://linktr.ee/leighbrennan
The Camino Cafe Pilgrim Family:
Spanish for the Camino
Heading to walk soon? Here's your chance to learn some Spanish specially designed for walking the Camino. Schedule your first lesson with Maria Seco or buy a workbook today and begin feeling more confident about your upcoming Camino.
Spanish for the Camino IG
Spanish for the Camino Facebook
Camino Concierge
Questions about walking the Camino? Looking for practical advice? The Camino Concierge can help! Contact veteran pilgrim, Michelle Lessard, today and gain valuable insight on preparing and walking the Camino.