Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) Jun/July 2019 Aspire Magazine FULL Issue | Page 44

Our trek began before sunrise on the French-
Spanish border in an old walled town called
St. Jean Pied de Port. We had nineteen
miles to cover that day, most of it uphill over
the Pyrenees ending in the old monastery-
turned-hotel at Roncevalles.
We trudged along on paved roads devoid of
shade. The temperature climbed to ninety-six
degrees. The water we guzzled evaporated
as sweat. By midday, my feet had swelled
enough to create what we hikers call “hot
spots,” areas that, if not treated, would likely
turn into blisters. Thankfully, I had blister
plasters, which I used to cushion the spots.
The mist rolled in just as we entered the
forest. A gentle descend on a soft path felt
good after the punishing pavement. Dusk
fell quicker than our pace, and we hustled
to make Roncesvalles before the dinner
service concluded. We arrived in time to
enjoy quick showers, and a delicious pilgrim
meal served with local wine.
Pop Goes the Blister
The second day was just as hot and nearly
as long. What goes up must come down, and
so we spent most of the day descending.
Those hot spots on my heels grew into bona
fide blisters, with the one on the right proving
to be the worst. About four miles from our
destination, we encountered a steep descent
on loose shale outcroppings. The footing
proved treacherous and slow-going.
It was midway down the shale that I felt the
blister on my right foot pop. Knowing if I took
my shoe off, I’d never get it back on, I opted to
keep walking (really, there was no other choice).
On a scale of one-to-ten, the pain ratcheted up
to a twelve. Each footstep was agony.
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www.AspireMAG.net | June / July 2019
When we know
and trust the
intuitive messages,
we can live in the
present moment,
follow through and
take action.
Changing My Focus
I realized I had a choice to either focus on
the pain, which only amplified it, or focus on
gratitude. I started repeating this mantra,
“Thank you toes for holding me upright.
Thank you feet for taking me all over the
world. Thank you, legs. Thank you, knees.
Thank you, lungs. Thank you, heart.” After
a few rounds, I added, “Thank you blisters
for giving me the information I need to be
successful.”
That’s when I realized I felt no pain. None.
As soon as this realization dawned on me,
I immediately became aware again of the
sharp, cutting pain in my heel.
“Wow!” I thought. “When I don’t focus on
my wound, but instead thank my body for
its miraculous work, I felt no pain.” You can
imagine that I immediately returned to my
mantra, which helped me descend pain-free
into Zubiri, Spain.