08/25/2026
It was Day 28. Chapter:
“We, The Walking Wounded”
Which pretty much says everything.
The longer story is me on a bathroom floor in rural Spain, as my guts roiled and some kind of vicious sickness tried to take me down. Fortunately, I was not alone, because I’m an absolute train wreck when sick.
By this point in my journey, I pretty much thought “I’m fixed. I know who I am. I got my answers. I’m done with this trail.”
But the Camino is not about the tidy little lessons, and it wasn’t quite done with me yet. And while I sometimes fancy myself a ma*****st, I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.
Enter… an eleven-year-old. My daughter. Whose wisdom arrived in the form of an email. Telling me what we all need to hear, pride be damned… that, “you’ve got this.” 💓 Bless her sweet little soul.
How many times have I said that to someone else? My own kids included. Encouragement is one of the most underrated gifts we can give to others. It costs nothing. And the impact could mean everything.
In my case? It meant umpteen more lessons I was able to learn on my remaining five days. It meant setting an example to my kids that yeah, things can get tough. But pushing through is worth considering.
For anyone out there needing support? Be open to it, and it will find you.
The Sam I Am is my Camino story. It’s out in the world, slowly but surely getting into the hands of people who need to read it. I’m grateful for the support I’ve received along the way. Support I’ve asked for and support that just arrived. Because people are genuinely good and kind.
This little gem is dedicated to my youngest, about to start her new adventure at UBC next week.
And Saffy? When the going gets tough… I promise you, I’ll be right there, a text or a call away to tell you, “you’ve got this.” Saffy
♥️