“Regalo abrazos” – “I give away hugs”. This bright yellow sign,

The man on the left had a yellow sign hanging from his backpack, “I give away hugs.”

strapped to the back of a large pack, captured my attention and that of many others. After a big hug, I found myself with a new friend. His mission on his second Camino is to bring joy to others. Although it sounds like such a simple task, he recognizes its necessity. Many peregrinos walk and think deeply about their lives, recount experiences with new friends, and attempt to find themselves during their trek. They search for a type of healing, a reconciling with the past and with uncontrollable experiences that have already occurred. An offering of a simple hug spreads smiles across so many faces. Strangers would run up to my friend, hugging him, everyone with joyful expressions.

His desire to spread joy, though, comes from a place of profound pain. His original plan was to walk the Camino with his brother-in-law. However, this past April, his brother-in-law passed away from cancer. The devastation of his death only further motivated my friend to continue with their plan, except he now carries two Credentials (pilgrim passports)-

Pilgrims receive stamps in their Credentials from hostels, churches and restaurants to trace their paths and as proof of their journeys.

one for himself, and one for his brother-in-law. He recognizes that his journey affects more than just him; his journey includes those around him, as well as his brother-in-law. He aligns himself with history by doing the Camino for someone else, and he embodies the principle of the Camino as stated on the American Credential- “Make others feel welcome”.

His simple act of showing kindness and sharing communion with others reflects the idea of “wounded healers.” This idea theorizes that we are all wounded, and that our wounds, shared in community, allow us to heal each other and ourselves. In his actions, he shows that healing can come from within, but it asks us to find community with other people through our acceptance of their and our own pain.