8 - conclusion
Lago di Costa Brunella
As we wouldn’t be staying in the rifugios as planned, we had to find another place to stay for a few days. We were pretty exhausted so we found an agriturismo (farm stay) in nearby Asolo that could accommodate us in a few hours. It ended up being amazing - a small peaceful farm with some olive trees, a small vineyard, and some animals, from which they create the most amazing meals in their restaurant. We had a great night’s sleep and were even able to do some laundry.
In the morning, we decided to go get an x-ray at the nearby hospital. I hobbled into the brand-new ER to find a highly organized system, with volunteers who offered us a wheelchair and helped us through the check-in process. I was given a number, and then invited back to a triage nurse who determined next steps. Then it was easy to follow the yellow line on the floor to radiology, then the blue line for diagnosis, then the red line to get a cast; it was indeed broken. We were there for a total of 3 hours. It was great.
Probably the biggest surprise was that I still had a codice fiscale (Italian SSN) in their system, so my ER visit, x-ray, diagnosis and treatment were free.
So … Pilgrimage. It certainly did not go like we thought. I was envisioning hours of walking along paths pondering and discussing the deep things of God, praying for family and friends, reciting Psalm 46. We did work on the first few verses aloud, which brought us great strength when we needed it. But all concentration was needed to walk safely, especially after the ankle incident.
Was it a walk with God, in search of God? I think it was. He was with us and we found Him:
In the grandeur of the Dolomiti
In the perfect weather
In the lake and the water filter
In the encouragement to keep taking step after step
In the overwhelming sense of peace
In the provision and guidance of a way out
In the way God designed me to face challenges
In the strength of my husband who led me and encouraged me
In the kindness of strangers
In the free hospital visit.
The lesson in all of it spiritually is that God is everywhere, and we wanted to become more aware of that “thin place” where heaven and earth don’t seem so far apart. Being away from all communications, working hard together, being outdoors in a beautful setting - all of this created an atmosphere to meet God. Paying attention to what He is doing, saying, or leading was the goal and we feel great about that.
