Carolyne Rivera - American Camino: Walking in the Wilderness vs Walking on the Beach

In American Camino, most of the discussion is focused on how the Camino de Santiago trail can be an incredible spiritual journey for anyone who walks it and it becomes a life-changing experience. I am personally not a fan of going on hikes or walks or spending any long amounts of time in the outdoors, except for when I am walking on the beach.

I do not go to the beach often - usually once or twice a year, but even in those occasions, there is just something special about walking on the beach that is so relaxing and makes me happy to spend so much time outside. I do not necessarily think of it as spiritual, though it can be for some people, but more as a time of peace and can be used to forget about the chaos that is going on in the world. 

As I was considering the different experiences between walking in the wilderness versus walking on the beach, I especially thought of the landscape and the impact that can have on a person. In my mind, seeing the vast wilderness surrounding you can be immensely beautiful and overwhelming and with every step, you know you must keep moving if you want to reach your destination. However on the beach, it is much more aimless and it is parallel to the ocean, expansive and immense and, in these instances, impossible to cross. When I walk along the beach, it is usually just to think. There is nowhere to go and nothing I need to do, allowing me to speculate on the possibilities of the future without needing to take action on it now.

Walking in different environments can have very different effects on a person, but they can all be beneficial depending on their needs at the time. The wilderness is slow paced and filled with sights to see but it pushes you to keep going until you are finished. The beach is immense and guides you on a straight path and you go until you turn around again, wandering until you have made the decision for yourself that you have gotten what you were looking for, even if there was no reason at all. Both paths can stimulate a person on their own journey and each are meaningful in their own way.

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