by Marco Güete
Routine and habit intertwine and shape our daily lives. This includes our work, ministry, food, exercise, entertainment. Routine and habits are created and learned; it all depends on our interest and purpose.
Personally, I found walking for exercise very boring and didn’t like it. One day everything changed. Russ Eanes, former Executive Director of MennoMedia, mentioned that he was planning on walking 800 km in Spain. I became interested and then researched, read books, listened to podcasts, and watched a movie on the subject. Eventually, my desire to do the Camino de Santiago and to walk 800 km (500 miles) in Spain was born.
I set a date to walk the trail and established a routine of walking six miles three times a week, regardless of the weather. I decided to walk to train myself and to establish a routine, which later became a habit. As a result of my new walking habit, I have been inspired with this question, “What might you want to do someday as a result of today?” by Greg McKeown in his book, Essentialism.
“Ultimately, your habits matter because they help you become the type of person you wish to be,” said James Clear, an author who writes about decision making and habits. “They are the channel through which you develop your deepest beliefs about yourself. Quite literally, you become your habits.” Walking became my habit.
On May 16, 2023, I left my house in Sarasota, FL and arrived in Astorga, Spain, 25 hours later. I slept less than two hours on the trip. I was again dazzled by the beauty of the city’s architecture dating back to the 15th century. The year before, I had finished the second part of 260 km in Astorga. The next day, after a comfortable night’s sleep and a hearty breakfast, I was ready to start walking the last series of 14 stages, which was 260 km, to reach Santiago de Compostela.
Wearing hiking boots, a backpack, a wide-brimmed hat, and a waterproof jacket, I took my first step on May 18, with the temperature at 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That day and the following, the legs walked automatically. James Clear said, “A habit is a behavior that has been repeated enough times to become automatic.”
I completed the Camino Frances de Santiago in three years, walking approximately 266 km each year. This path is the most popular and traveled by walkers from almost all over the world. The first year a pastor friend accompanied me, and the following two years I walked with my wife. She also trained alongside me.
One of the beauties of the path, apart from the landscapes, is the relationship and communication with other walkers. We are all doing the same: walking through plains and mountains; crossing rivers in the rain and the sun; feeling hot or cold; eating and drinking almost the same.
On the Camino, we walkers are all the same, regardless of race, profession, culture, or language. We become friends and greet each other with the phrase: Buen Camino. This is a time when we become more human and more spiritual, and where we can see God’s creation in ourselves without prejudice.
I walked with two purposes: the first to achieve my personal goal and to raise funds for the Instituto Biblico Anabautista (IBA). The purposes were fulfilled with the help and love of God and his Spirit, to whom I give glory and honor.
The opinions expressed in this content are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference.
Marco Güete
Marco Güete is the Leadership Minister for Florida for Mosaic Conference.
