Kurt Koontz's Blog, page 19

The Illusion of Living

My days spent walking A Million Steps on the Camino de Santiago were completely unscripted.  At the beginning of each day I had no idea how far I would walk, what I would eat, where I would spent the night, and no guarantee that my body...

Purpose

9/14 is an important date in my life.  Two years ago on this day, I found myself standing at the base of the Pyrenees Mountains getting ready to take my first of A Million Steps on the Camino de Santiago.  This walk forever changed my...

The Good Egg

On an early morning last week, I pumped up the tires on my Cannondale and took off for 30 miles of joy.  The morning chill required my long riding tights and my breath was visible with each exhale.  I passed an elementary school and the...

Reflections

As I approach the two year anniversary of my first step in Spain, I decided to re-read my own book.  It brought back many fond memories from a wonderful trip.  For this week’s blog, I decided to share a sample chapter.  If you have not...

Fright

What would you do if fear were not present in your life? Fear and happiness cohabitate like oil and water.  Eliminating one creates space for the other to thrive. Eleanor Roosevelt once wrote, “Do something every day that scares you.” Embarking on a gigantic adventure...

Mental Toxins

While taking A Million Steps the Camino de Santiago, my daily experiences were vastly different from those at home.  The mixture of meeting new people, getting physical exercise, finding beauty in nature, appreciating the simplest things in life, and living with a tiny pack full of...

Then and the Power of Now

While taking A Million Steps on the Camino de Santiago, I was able to reflect on many aspects of my life.  Around the 13 year mark, I began to experiment with beer. Unfortunately, I was really good at it and allowed  Coors to consume  the...

Connecting

While taking A Million Steps on the Camino de Santiago, people often relied on strangers for help and comfort.  Gazillions of random acts of kindness were disbursed on that sacred soil each day.  It may have been sharing a blister bandage or maybe just an...

Shadows

While taking A Million Steps on the Camino de Santiago, people drifted in and out of my life on a daily basis.  I believe that things happen for a reason and always embraced the opportunity to meet new friends.  I am still astounded at how...

No Doubt!

While taking  A Million Steps on the Camino de Santiago, doubt made its debut and I wondered, “What am I doing here? Today was pure magic, but can I actually do this, day in and day out, for 490 miles?”  I was confident that my...