Travel and Personal Growth

by Sue Kenney, A modern day pilgrim.

One Monday morning in October, I found myself suddenly downsized from my position as an account executive with an international telecommunications company, deemed redundant. I decided to go for a long walk to gain a better understanding of my higher purpose in life. Five weeks later, I took my first step on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela; a medieval pilgrimage route in Spain. I walked 780 kilometers over 29 days, in the winter, and I went alone. I had never been much of a walker before. In fact I did everything in my life fast. I ran, I rowed competitively, I drove fast and I worked in a high-speed industry. For some reason though, I decided it was time to slow down. I wanted time alone with myself and I wanted to be in a place that was out of my comfort zone. The Camino offered all of this, and more.

The journey itself was a life altering experience, filled with incredible lessons. I realized that my purpose was to inspire people using my voice. I slowed my life down to about 5 kilometers per hour and loved every minute of it. I knew there would be some challenges integrating this profound experience into my life back home, but I was committed to my purpose. When I returned home, I wasn't sure what to do so I began telling stories about the people I met on the Camino and the lessons I learned. Very quickly I found that people loved hearing stories and asked to hear more. I began speaking to community groups, libraries, churches, schools, and as a key-note speaker/storyteller at special events. Many people asked me if I was going to write a book but made it clear to them that I wasn't a writer. Instead, I decided to record a meditative storytelling CD with the intention of inspiring others through the tales of my journey. People who listened to the CD came back to me with encouraging feedback and said that they wanted to hear more stories. They asked when I would be writing a book.

Over time it became clear to me that writing a book wasn't about whether I thought I was a writer or not; it was about sharing the stories that I was given to inspire people. I knew that now it was time to embark on a new journey to become an author. I needed to find a publisher first, so I went to The Word on the Street literary festival in Toronto armed with my storytelling CD and an idea for a book. I hadn't actually written anything yet but I presented my ideas to various publishers I met. Within a few months, White Knight Publications signed a deal to publish my first book. I started writing immediately, setting a personal goal to write 1000 words a day. I shocked my publisher by completing the first draft of the book in two months. After it was edited, My Camino rolled off the press in September 2004. It is now on the way to becoming a Canadian best seller.

I returned to the Camino a second time and when I came home, I began to notice there was a co-relation between walking and creativity. One day I read that Beethoven was paid by 3 Austrian businessmen to walk everyday. They believed that if he walked, he would produce the greatest music; which he did. When I heard that, I realized the Camino was not only about walking to spend time contemplating my life, but it provided me with the chance to be more creative in my life.

In total, I have walked various sections of the Camino four times. 2 ½ years ago, I wasn't a writer. Today, I am a national best selling author and I am in the editing stages of completing my second book on the Camino titled Confessions of a Pilgrim; I have co-written two novels; I publish a monthly newsletter called Inspirational Moments, and I am writing a column for a magazine and a newspaper. Last October, I returned to the Camino with a group of 5 woman and I directed and filmed a documentary. I have just recently completed my first short film. I believe all of this happened because of walking. I believe that if we are all more creative then we can come up with better solutions to world problems.

I never dreamed thought a person like me would love to walk. Recently, when I was interviewed on a radio show the host asked me how it felt to be interviewed as a published author and I replied, "It's like a dream that I never knew I had, came true." May all your dreams come true.

Sue Kenney
www.suekenney.ca

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