God Sighting: Buen Camino

Julie with her parents, Dean and Linda, and children.

As we head to the beach for a few days, I’ve spent some time reflecting on the last week walking the Camino. This morning someone asked me how I will describe this experience when I return home, and honestly, I didn’t quite know how to answer. Sure, I could tell you how many miles we walked, how many steps we took (over 150,000!), or how many blisters we battled. But the truth is—it wasn’t about the finish line. It was about the journey.

The day-to-day grit. The resilience. The quiet victories. The fear of the unknown but courage to face it anyway. The aching feet and tired legs that still carried us forward another day and another when one more step felt impossible. Some days felt smooth. Others—13 miles felt like 30. But I couldn’t focus on the end. I had to focus on the next step in front of me.”

At one point, one of my daughters was struggling. She was hot, tired, and sore. And I didn’t give her advice. I just shared what helped me: find gratitude in each step. Notice the hedgehog that crosses your path. Listen to the languages swirling around you. Take in the beauty of the forest floor, the wildflowers, the wind through the trees, the beautiful view. She later said, “Ugh, I hate when you’re right.” But it helped. Because it’s true.

If you hate the journey… If you dread the climb, the struggle, the doubt, the fear… If you wait to celebrate only when you “arrive”… You’ll miss the miracle of what’s happening right now. In this moment.
We finally reached the cathedral in Santiago. And while it was beautiful, we didn’t stay long. Because the view from the top was never the point. This whole experience—over 60 miles—reminded me of something I’ve always believed but needed to feel again: We spend far more time on the climb than we do at the finish line.

That little yellow arrow and the scallop shell guided us every step. Sometimes it was hard to spot. Other times, it was right in front of us. And wouldn’t it be amazing if life always came with arrows and markers telling us exactly what to do or where to go? But maybe it does. Maybe they just don’t look like bright yellow signs.

I’m a woman of faith. I believe in God winks and divine nudges… sometimes it feels like a giant push. And while this journey started as something I wanted my daughters to experience—to show them what they’re capable of— I now realize I needed it too. To remind myself to trust. Trust God. Trust myself. To believe the path is being laid one step at a time. To find joy, not just in the arrival, but in who you become in the process.

As we head to the beach today—resting our feet and soaking in the sun—I carry the Camino with me. Not just in my legs or my blistered toes… But in my spirit. In my faith. Because I’m learning—again and again— that the real beauty is always found in the journey. Buen Camino.

Julie McDaniel
Camino de Santiago Pilgrim

By Julie McDaniel, Camino de Santiago Pilgrim