On the first day of the Camino, I had the pleasure of sitting down with William Lin, a fellow pilgrim from Taiwan. As we sipped café con leches overlooking the Pyrenees, William shared the story of what brought him to this transformative journey. He spoke about finding inspiration during the COVID lockdown, the impact of his grandparents' dreams, and the courage it took to step away from traditional expectations to redefine his life’s path. Together, we reflected on the preciousness of time, the unexpected magic of the Camino, and the beauty of self-discovery that comes when you embrace the unknown.

Takeaways

• Pursue your dreams while you can—time is fleeting.
• Redefining your path takes courage. Breaking from tradition and embracing change may feel scary, but it’s necessary for personal growth.
• Preparation is helpful, but life’s greatest lessons come from experience. No amount of research can replace the wisdom of taking that first step.
• Reflection is powerful. The Camino gives us a rare opportunity to pause, breathe, and reevaluate who we are and what matters most.

"My grandparents passed away recently. They had their dreams, but there were a lot of things they wanted to do but couldn’t. That kept me thinking—I need to do this while I still can."

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