My oldest daughter was studying overseas in Rabat, Morocco. We flew over to visit. I had never been to a primarily Muslim country. It felt strange and beautiful. One afternoon we walked through the city to meet our daughter for lunch. For the second time that day, the call to prayer rose up from the […]

I am off on another travel adventure! Last April it was the Camino de Santiago in Spain. This April/May I am headed to Costa Rica on a wellness/adventure tour. One of the joys of group travel is connecting with friends, old and new. And one of the joys of this particular trip is that I […]

A year ago I was walking the ancient pilgrimage called the Camino de Santiago. I was in northern Spain with some of my closest friends and a gracious Spanish guide named Javi. The second or third day of the journey Javi urged me to take my shoes and socks off and walk part of the […]

I am learning that even when life feels dark I can be surprised by joy. One of my favorite poets expresses this so clearly: If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don't hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and […]

Some who know me well might say the statement, "Alice is a disciplined person" is an understatement. I get it. I like a schedule, a rhythm, a routine. Some might call me tightly wound. That's ok. But let me tell you what the Camino taught me. It's ok to be disciplined in the every day. […]

"Heaven and earth," the Celtic saying goes, "are only three feet apart, but in thin places that distance is even shorter." The Camino felt like a very thin place. The air heavy with the weight of centuries of pilgrims. The soil itself felt holy. I barely have words to explain it. But I do have […]