Today was a travel day, I said goodbye to my fellow pilgrims in lisieux at breakfast and had was able to take part in mass with the nuns at Carmel one final time. This morning the chill was in the air and I could see my breath as I walked the streets for the final time. The last mass was co-celebrated by the same priest that had celebrated the mass in the crypts in the basilica two days prior. The priest was one of those people that radiates Christ light -even without knowing all the words he spoke.

Fun fact about lisieux - after walking the city for days I finally realized the blue painted line in the city takes the pilgrim to and from each religious site on the St Therese pilgrimage. Literally follow the yellow brick road turned into 'we're off to see therese,the wonderful therese of lisieux...follow follow the blue painted line!'

I then spent the next 5 hours in route to pontoroson where mont st Michel is at the abbey on the island. I had a stop for two hours in a small town on the way and hiked up to the highest part where they had built two churches and to grab a snack for the way. I was making good time, so then I hiked down to the bottom part of the village. I got back to train station in time for my train and arrived in pontoroson. I was picked up by Paul, a charming man that would take me to st marcan where I will spend the next two days. Paul and his wife Jane moved here a years ago and purchased the 234 year old building and began running a b&b/hostel from it. They are lovely and truly have a servant hearts. The bottom line of their message is you only have one life, so live it without regret. It is nice to hear this message, today as I road the train this was my thoughts to God (yes I'm keeping this blog and my god talks for me separately but it is appropriate so I will share this one)
Messages to God

Oh God there are times when I think this is all but a dream and that I should awake to find myself going into work to be with my students and telling amusing stories that entertain. But then, I think no this is to be my life. My life of traveling to where you call me and doing what you would have me to with my life. On this trip, i read that the missionaries job is to travel from town spreading the good news and although their direction might change this does not. It really does still seem odd that I will not return to my job, the only one I have known in my adult life and where the past 10 years so much of time was spent. Give me the strength to follow through- to stay true and not get discouraged. In Christ name!

then literally 4 hours later, there is this couple there giving me the encouragement. Yes God is present and yes He answers!

So I am in st marcan and was told of a great restaurant just up the hill. So since tonight was going to be a relaxing night, i decided to take the walk. Well the nice walk turned into a 5k literally, it was 5ks up the hill and the restaurant had signs every 800m after the first 2k so you did not get discouraged. Well the good news is, I am at the top of st marcan and the 5k home will be all downhill and the cider (apparently this is cider country) will make the walk pleasant. Either way, I am enjoying the pleasant views and the beauty of the hills.