Final Lessons From Our Journey On The Camino de Santiago (PICS/VIDEO)

I find myself out of the country once again, but this time, I'm alone. Away from Luc, the boys, the dogs, work, U.S. politics, and the overall busyness that seems to engulf our lives.

I must admit, it's a pleasant change to "just be." Although it hasn't been easy, I believe we learn the most when we step out of our comfort zones and embrace solitude.

Before I delve into my experiences in India, Bhutan, and Austria, I want to share the last day of the Camino de Santiago with Luc.

However, I didn't write a single word on the night we completed the journey. After walking twenty-four miles, all I desired was to collapse and celebrate with a bottle of wine. So, I asked Luc if he would be willing to share his thoughts, perhaps something he learned from our experience on the Camino de Santiago.

Here's what he sent me:

"What I have learned walking the Camino de Santiago...

My life has always revolved around achieving big goals, but when you walk the Camino, the only goal in your mind is to take the next step. And that's not even a goal; it's just waking up and walking.

I never thought I could spend an entire day without listening to music or occupying my mind in some way.

But I did.

And it was incredible.

What impacted me the most is that, after all these years, I discovered how to live alongside my love, Stacia, who is relentless in her pursuit of making us a better couple.

During the two weeks we spent on the Camino together, I realized that I could retire, something I had never considered, and spend the rest of my days with her. I was amazed at how effortlessly we could just be.

Also, I finally understood that being present is not something you work at; it's something you feel and surrender to in each moment. Even though it may have seemed in the past that being present wasn't in my nature, I genuinely enjoyed just "being."

Now, I need and want to learn to remain in that state at all times.

On the Camino, I realized how much I love my wife and how much I admire her for what she stands for in life. It saddens me that I don't tell her every day how special she is. She would give her last piece of clothing or food to the first person in need.

I love her so much.

Ultimately, when you're just "being," that's when you truly live.

Luc"

Wow, my partner is quite the writer! Well, with a little editing assistance from me—but he can always hire an editor. ;)

I must say, his words deeply touched me.

However, if I'm being honest and speaking from the heart, I felt a slight disappointment after the first week of being back home.

I missed "him" so much—the fun-loving guy from the Camino, the guy who wasn't preoccupied. The guy with whom I felt safe to be my authentic self.

You see, I try to live each day as if there won't be a tomorrow and love as if there won't be another opportunity. It becomes challenging when you share your life with someone who is mostly focused on tomorrow.

Having said that, I appreciate his passion and his excitement for what he does every day. I also value the independence we have within our relationship.

Yet, during our precious moments together when my life partner's mind is elsewhere, I yearn for more of "him"—for connection.

With all the distractions life throws our way, many of us forget how to truly live—or perhaps we never learned. Understandably, Luc is exhausted when he returns home at the end of the day, like so many of us. The only thing that takes his mind off tomorrow is Netflix. As a result, we often fall into the same routine every night we're alone. At times, I find myself silently frustrated, but I try to make the best out of this habitual activity that I don't necessarily desire. I would much rather spend our days together, gazing into each other's eyes and immersing ourselves in each other (not that I don't enjoy a few good Netflix shows).

Needless to say, all the talking in the world hasn't brought about the change I long for.

Then I question myself—what's wrong with me? Why do I feel this intense desire to extract as much as possible from each moment during our time together? Could it be that deep down, I believe this might be all we have? What if it truly is?

As I've mentioned before, Luc and I couldn't be more different from each other. He has his entire life planned out, while I'm unsure if tomorrow will even come.

There has to be a middle ground.

And he's the only person from whom I protect my heart—the man I'm silently and fiercely in love with even after all these years.

But here's the silver lining—I'm witnessing a gradual change within him. During the Camino, Luc experienced what it means to fully embrace life on the edge, holding onto each moment as if it were the only one. Well, perhaps that's a slight exaggeration. Nevertheless, before I left for India, it felt like he was undergoing some kind of awakening. He would say things like, "I miss you... I'm sorry I've been so preoccupied... Can we talk?... I miss us." That's huge. Not to mention, he reads my blog without a shred of ego.

Funny enough, as I write this, we sound like a perfect love story to me.

Because love is imperfect.

And there's something Luc taught me years ago—it's so much easier to give up. If it weren't for him, I would have walked out the door years ago. Not because I didn't love him, but because I wanted more. However, one of Luc's greatest qualities is his unwavering commitment to what and who he loves. He never gives up on anything or anyone. He has always fought to keep me in his life.

Yet, there have been countless moments when I've wanted to shake him out of his complacency.

I suppose I have some learning to do while I'm away. ;)

In the end, we all suffer in different ways.

We are all learning. We are all growing. We are all trying to figure out who we are and what truly matters to us. And when we share our lives with someone, being our authentic and best selves can undoubtedly be a challenge.

That's why some people choose to be alone.

But as the old cliché saying goes, the grass is never greener.

Now, let's return to our last day on the Camino de Santiago.

I have three words to describe it:

IT WAS PERFECT.

The photos and videos below capture the essence of that day.

In conclusion, love those around you deeply. If you're in a relationship, never forget what initially drew you to your loved one. Keep the spark alive as if you've never stopped dating, and continually seek out new and exciting experiences together. And if you happen to be single, well, consider yourself lucky. Ha! You can focus on working on yourself, which is ultimately the most important thing we should all be doing anyway. ;)

Good-bye for now Camino de Santiago…until we meet again.