22 mile pilgrimage through 'thin' places

The Revd Hilary Bond, Pioneer Priest for the Parish of Wareham, walked 22 miles with a group of pilgrims this week. Embracing 'thin spaces' along the route (places or moments where the boundary between the spiritual and physical world feels particularly close) and God's guidance, she writes:

"A group of 13 pilgrims walking along Studland beach - some barefoot, others sturdily booted. We have come from St James’ church in Poole and are heading for St James' church in Kingston: the cathedral of Purbeck. A pilgrimage - even a small two-day one like this - is a commitment to take time out from the ordinary concerns of everyday life and to engage thoughtfully and mindfully with our spirituality. So, as 13 people from different places and carrying different hopes and dreams come together to walk, we commit to listening deeply to one another, to the world around us, and to the person we might call God.

By the time we arrive at our final destination, we have walked on pavement, track, sand and hills, sailed on a ferry, cooked and eaten together, prayed and laughed together, and slept in a church. We have shared stories, silence, deep questions and the wisdom of the group. We have loved the fellowship, the wonder of God’s creation, and the fact that we made it through all 22 miles. We have been challenged by some of the hills, by learning to slow down, and by discovering deeper things about ourselves. And we have known God walking with us."

The pilgrimage reminded Hilary of the poem 'Footprints in the Sand'. In this poem, a man looks back at his life and sees there are two sets of footprints in the sand of his days; except for in turbulent times, when there were just one set of prints. Far from being abandoned, the poem affirms:  "When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you, says the Lord.”