In2013,anAustralianmanafewmonthsshyofturning60decidedtowalktheCaminodeSantiago–an800kmpilgrimagetrailacrossthetopofSpain.Hehadnoknownreligion,andabsolutelynoideawhyhefeltsodeeplycompelledtodothistorturouswalk.
Butcompelled,hewas.
Hecompletedthewalk,battlinga“triumvirateofpain”-akneethathelaterdiscoveredlackedanymeaningfulcartilage,ablisterthesightofwhichwouldmakeagrownmanweep,andshin-sorenessthatfeltlikehislowerlimbhadbeensplitwithamountainaxewieldedbyadementedtroll.
ArrivingattheendoftheCamino,themajesticcathedralinSantiagodeCompostela,heexpectedanepiphany–ananswertothequestionhe’dbeenaskinghimselfeveryday:WhyamIdoingthis?
Butnoanswercame.
Sowhenhegothomehewroteabook,hopingtheanswerwouldrevealitselfinhisscribblings.TheresultwasTheWay,MyWay,ahumourousandself-deprecatingbookthatmanyconsiderthebestmemoireverwrittenonwalkingtheCamino.
Thebookhasnowbeenmadeintoafilm,andit’sanextraordinaryaccountofamanatapivotalpointinhislife,searchingformeaningandfindinghimselfundergoingafundamentaltransformationsoprofoundthathenowdivideshislifeinto“BeforetheCamino”and“AftertheCamino.”
It’sastoryparticulartooneman,yetofappealtoanyoneseekingagreatermeaningfromlife.
