Saturday is the Feast of St. James and it has been on my mind. A friend spoke about Camino de Santiago recently, and I’ve started reading about the pilgrimage. As the feast day approaches, I’ve been reading up more about St. James. The symbol for St. James is the scallop, which has always been one of my favorite foods. In France scallops are served as Coquilles St. Jacques, the cockles (or scallops) of St. Jacques (or St. James).

I was brought up a Congregationalist and was confirmed at around age 12 in the First Congregational Church of Williamstown, MA. In my high school years, I started exploring other churches and spent a bit of time with Baptists and Episcopalians. One of my high school yearbook quotes was James 1:5. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

In college I was received in the Episcopal Church at St. James Episcopal Church in Wooster, OH. In college, one of my favorite professors, told a story of when he had led a group of students on the Camino de Santiago years before. It is a story that I’ve often told.

So now, I am setting out on my own metaphorical Camino de Santiago. I’m still not exactly sure what it means or where it will lead me. In many ways we are all on our own Caminos, and with that, I’m now signing messages,

Buen Camino, a common greeting on the Camino de Santiago.