We often imagine pilgrims as figures from history – travellers with maps, humble belongings, and a single, sacred destination. But strip away the costumes and old-world roads, and you’ll see that every one of us is still on that journey.

Life is not a straight highway. It’s a winding path with moments of breathtaking beauty, unexpected detours, and stretches where we stumble. Some days we move with purpose; other days we simply put one foot in front of the other. But always, we’re moving.

Pilgrimage isn’t about geography – it’s about transformation. The road shapes us as much as the destination does. Every encounter, challenge, and setback chisels away at who we thought we were, revealing who we can become.

The symbol of the scallop shell

On the Camino de Santiago and other ancient routes, pilgrims often wear a scallop shell – a quiet but unmistakable sign that they are on a sacred journey.* The shell is more than a badge; it’s a reminder that we carry our identity as travellers in search of meaning, and that the journey itself marks us, even when we don’t notice.

There are no shortcuts worth taking. The lessons worth having are those we’ve earned through persistence, humility, and openness to being changed. On this journey, we will be both the helper and the helped. Sometimes the road asks us to lead; other times it demands we accept guidance.

To be a pilgrim is to accept that we are unfinished. And that’s the point. The goal is not to arrive perfect but to arrive more human, more wiser, more compassionate, and more aware of a journey we all share.

Wherever you are today – at the start, in the middle, or near a milestone – remember: the road is the teacher. Keep walking.

(This is why I use a scallop shell on my FB and Insta pages).