Although GRAND guest writer Christopher Gildemeister’s (Parents TV Council) review of the recently released film The Way was eloquently and accurately written, my review will highlight a few other germane details about the film, the most important of which are its unmistakable inspiration and its motivation. The experience depicted in this film — the pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago — is now on my bucket list as number 25 or maybe number 15, depending on my exercise motivation on any given day.
First of all, although The Way has wide audience appeal, I feel it was made for all of us boomers and is best experienced with someone close to our own age. I recommend taking your spouse, significant other, BFF or buddy. You’ll want to discuss your future plans for your spiritual journey of The Way of St. James (or the pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago, whichever you prefer) and other items on your bucket list.
My BFF, Sharon McCubbin, took me to this film, and afterwards we went for coffee and discussed all sorts of thoughts and ideas. She was eager to share the books she and her husband are reading in preparation for their 100-mile walk next summer in 2012.
One of Sharon’s books I found unlike any of the others is Seven Tips to Make the Most of the Camino de Santiago. It’s not a travelog or a guide, but rather a preparation manual providing practical guidance for undertaking this spiritual journey on The Way of St. James.
For more books you can check out this link: http://www.ourcamino.com/links.html. There you’ll find a list of 11 current books. Some are guidebooks, while others are stories people wrote about their experiences on the Camino de Santiago.
If a spiritual journey is not on your bucket list, then you might want to check out The Camino de Santiago: A Sinner’s Guide, which offers a fun read and still provides plenty of content from a slightly different point of view. Be warned this book won’t tell you which hostel to stay at or when a specific church was founded. The book will, however, provide you with hours of entertainment and give you a flavor of what it’s like to embark on a long walking adventure in northernSpain.
Finally, I want to add that the film The Way is a gripping depiction of an unresolved father-son relationship, beautifully realized from the multidimensional talents of Emilio Estevez. Estevez wrote the story, directed, produced and acted in this meaningful and entertaining film.
Although Estevez is not listed as having one of the starring roles (which went to Martin Sheen, Estevez’s father; Deborah Kara Unger; James Nesbitt; and Yorick van Wageningen), his enormous talent and his presence is felt throughout The Way.
Buen camino!
