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Alain (Allan in French)

    Faubourg Saint Jacques st. in Paris, Way of St james  Ph J F F

Some pilgrims leave soon after their decision, others need more time to get ready. It doesn't matter. For many months Alain,  another Alain, has been picking up information and training.

Saturday May  26, 2012, 9 a.m., departure time.

His wife and his friends are with him at  Tour Saint Jacques to say good bye.

Eight members of the association Compostelle 2000 walk with him as far as St Jacques plaza, Porte d'Orléans, Montrouge, Coulée Verte, or Palaiseau, depending on their time schedule.

A pristine sky, a pleasant temperature, ideal weather conditions.

A moving moment when one of the few car drivers asks him :

-         "Where are you heading for ?

-         St James of Compostela.

-         How lucky ! That's what I'm planning to do !"

Greetings or not

La rencontre or Bonjour Monsieur Courbet, Fabre Museum, Montpellier, on the Via Tolosana

Everyone says hello on the Way and you always answer.

Back home what happens ? If you live in a city and don't want to look crazy, this is the thing you can't do anymore : say hello to the passers-by.

Someone you don't know comes on the same sidewalk : he doesn't salutate you and you may not.

Two destinies on the same ground, two human beings ignore each other...

Like the atoms of a same organism that are not linked.

A body is scattered.

Show some emotion...

Our friend Thorgal

Gentlemen, let's be honest  : although we are equipped, strong, brave, reliable, proud, trained and used to facing troubles, let's admit it , we sometimes feel a little fear before we go. Not as far as crying, men don't cry unless in the hide. But sometimes, a little more nervous, we feel our throat more, our heart beats louder, we may be troubled by a pain in he stomach...

Our friend René mentioned that, about the meetings organised at the 'Association Compostelle 2000 with the future pilgrims... Discreetly he used the words "scopes and fears" and "help him fight his own fears"...

Is fear useful ? Yes, it helps us in case of danger. It warns us and forces us to prepare better.

What are we afraid of ? To loose something. Our belongings, our health, our life. A whole story ! 

So, if you feel afraid, remember it's quite natural, and you can face it. All of us, our friend Isabelle, our friend Danielle, our friend Claire, our friend  Martine, our friend Lili, our friend Anne, our friend Rita, our friend Pierre, our friend Pierre-Marie, our friend André, our friend Hubert, our friend Valentin, our friend Bernard, our friend Bertrand, our friend Romano, and all those who cannot be cited here, all of us felt that fright.

But there is one thing you cannot be afraid of on the Way of St James : 

not to make new friends ...