Landscapes of the Sacred 2

In chapter four of, Landscapes of the Sacred, Lane talks about spanish temperament and suffering. The quote, “Tell me the landscape in which you live and I will tell you who you are” said by Ortega y Gasset when explaining why our environment has so much to do with our perceptions of reality. The landscape of Spain is one that knows suffering, through its desolate environment and bare grounds because of eroded soil. From this landscape, Lane says how saints were bred, through their familiarity with a suffering environment around them. The hot summers and the blistering cold winters created a strength within the people.

The most interesting part of this to me was how Lane mentioned the Spanish being drawn to the hidden mystery of suffering. This is something that many long distance hikers know well. It seems to be a mystery how one can suffer so much on the trail but also find so much joy in doing so. For many this can be ascribed to the joy that comes with accomplishing a physical challenge, but for others, especially on the Camino De Santiago trail, it is a suffering that brings us closer to God. Lane says “You can’t exaggerate or describe the way in which God wounds the soul and the extreme pain this wound produces... Yet this pain is so delightful that there is no other pleasure in life that gives greater happiness”. As an athlete this is something I relate to. The intense physical challenges that we go through, sometimes suffer through, is just another way to bring praise to God and feel closer to him.

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