Jesuit Community
In June and July 2021, I embarked on a simple walking pilgrimage through South Australia with about 15 university students. Early in the pilgrimage, I already realized that it was shaping up as one of the best weeks in my life. Why? In going on pilgrimage, each pilgrim had chosen to fully enter the experience. We were all seeking to enjoy it as much as possible and to gain as much as possible, be that through a religious perspective or some other conception of pilgrimage. And we all wanted to contribute to each other’s experience as well. We were blessed along the way with excellent weather and surroundings, but they were not as important as the positive, supportive community we formed.
The experience helped me reflect on the big pilgrimage that is my life. I have often noticed how I’ve been blessed in my external circumstances. But even more importantly, I’ve been blessed with the grace to approach these circumstances with optimism, seeing them as opportunities to enjoy this amazing gift of life and hopefully help others do the same.