I want, I want, I want…I need.

My journey started this morning with a train and a bus. When I got off the bus, I decided to walk the extra miles and forgo the next bus (a better idea this morning than it felt mid-afternoon!). The bus dropped me off right outside of Target. So being a good consumer, I went in to buy snacks. I was worried I wouldn’t have food the whole way and as it turns out, that was a good move.

I began my first steps of my pilgrimage in the Target parking lot. Weird. But in a lot of ways real. I walked away from a store and towards the beach. What I didn’t expect was to pass by lots of high-end shops and restaurants along the way. And all I thought about for the first hour or so was how I could find a nice pair of shorts in that store, and this place would have good lattes. I wanted the burger I smelled and the donut I saw. I wanted a new dress and comfy shoes. I was surprised at how easily I focused on what I wanted. None of which I needed.

As my walk progressed through late morning and into early afternoon, I began to feel fatigued—muscles and joints were achy and I was less steady on my feet. I got out my hiking poles to help me along and walked on the dirt and grass rather than the sidewalk to give more cushion for my body. And I became really tired and hungry but there was no food. Luckily I had snacks!

Another hour went by and all the food possibilities along the beach walkway were closed. It is February, after all, and not the height of beach tourist season! I checked the map and food would be in 45 minutes. I was slowing down and feeling a little wobbly. I stopped at the first restaurant I saw and gobbled up a great meal! Even got to sit at a booth where the wall opened out to a view of the beach! Stunning.

When I got up to leave I realized how much better I felt. I had needed rest and food. Gone were the thoughts of my morning consumer desires. They were replaced with what I needed. Food and rest. Refreshment and nourishment.

Pilgrimage gave me the opportunity to leave behind wants and focus on needs. I value the lesson to refresh and nourish.

---

Lea Appleton, PCC, NBC-HWC, is a Wayfinding Guide whose outdoor job is leading Wayfinding Days, Labyrinth Walks, and Team-Building Experiences and whose indoor job is coaching, writing, and speaking. She works with people who sense the path calling—and are learning to trust that it is worth following. Learn more at www.wildwayfinding.com

---