25 April 2012 continued

I attended the nuns´ vespers again this evening in their small chapel.  There was one other pilgrim there - a young man from Stuttgart.  He syated in the Albergue so we shared a table at dinner, after the service.  He is tall, thin, blond with an angular, rather sincere face.  His English excellent.  When I asked him why he was walking the Camino, he said for spiritual reasons; then he told me that he was supposed to have been married on 21st April and then have a three week honeymoon, but his fiance broke off the engagement and he decided to walk the Camino with the time off work he had scheduled.  His lip quivered ever so slightly and his pale skin pinkened.  His eyes were shiny with tears that did not fall.  A broken heart showed on his sleeve and on his face.  The pain was so plainly written there.  He said he would think about things as he walked and try for a fresh start.  He barely touched his lovely dinner.  With empathy I tried to reassure him but all I could think to say was that it would get better with time.  There are so many stories on the Camino, all one need do is listen.