There was literally no way I could know how renting a movie from Redbox (remember those?) in 2012 would shape my actions some 14 years later.
It was family movie night and I rented “The Way” starring Martin Sheen and written and directed by his son Emilio Estevez. The film ― about a father’s journey to finish a grueling pilgrimage in memory of his son ― moved us all deeply. I put the pilgrimage on my bucket list, you know all those things that you want to do but never really believe you will.
Fast forward to 2026 and by the time you read this, I’ll be en route to Porto, Portugal where I will start walking nearly 200 miles with my son and daughter-in-law to a town in Spain called Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St. James, one of the 12 chosen by Jesus to follow him, are said to be held.
Our trails, paths, streets will be marked with the signature scallop shell symbol that represents one of the oldest Christian pilgrimages in the world, el Camino de Santiago (the way of James), or as most refer to it, el Camino, or “The Way.” In fact, I’ve learned that the traditional greeting among travelers or anyone along the way is to say “buen camino,” or “good journey.”
In the film, a woman the main characters meet along the way admits she had never taken the journey, explaining she was too busy when she was younger and too tired now that she is older. Her excuse sounded familiar. Martin Sheen’s son, Daniel, asks his father to make the journey with him and he declines. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake when my son, also named Daniel, asked me along.
I started saving pennies in a huge glass jar, literally all manner of coins and singles for the trip. I abstained from alcohol from New Year’s Eve until Easter and I worked out by walking, riding my Peloton and going to the gym. I started collecting my gear, (borrowed) walking sticks, hiking shoes, backpack etc. My wife bought me a compass and a rosary for the trip.
Things were going great and then I woke up on March 26 with my back thrown out. My back hurt so bad I was unable to put the sock on my right foot. I yelled in pain when getting into the car for my wife to drive me to urgent care. I received a shot, steroids, muscle relaxers and had to stop all manner of meaningful exercise.
Exactly two weeks later my back was not much better. I went to my primary physician and he prescribed stronger medications. Why? Because I told him nothing was going to keep me from making this once-in-a-lifetime trip. I wondered why I felt so compelled to go, even with an aching back.
Was it to get closer to God or to my son? Was it my sense of adventure or some sort of penance that was driving me? Was it my yearning to disconnect from technology and the television or the desire for a physical challenge? Mental health reboot? Maybe I just wanted to walk in gratitude for all the wonderful things in my life.
I’m sure the reasons will come to me as I make the trek or maybe all the reasons I’ve mentioned are true. There is a line in the movie where one of the characters says “no one walks the camino by accident.”
I believe that is true.
I’ll try and share some of my experiences while making the 13-to-15-day walk.
But dealing with an aching back and having to stop all my training four full weeks before the walk was not exactly how I envisioned things would go. That being said, I have an ask.
Since I can use all the help I can get, I’m going to ask that you pray for our safety and for my back to heal enough for me to make the walk.
If you’re not the praying type, that’s OK. Maybe you can just shoot me an email simply wishing me a “buen camino.”
Contact Torres at jtorres@floridatoday.com. You can follow him on X @johnalbertorres
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: One walk, one son and a journey on el Camino years in the making
Reporting by John A. Torres, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
