Steve Watkins is a writer. He is a pilgrim. He is a friend.
I met Steve through Facebook. He made pilgrimage a few years back and posted honest and sincere updates about his journey. He didn't hide any pains. He didn't gloss over any discomforts. He shared joy and he shared frustrations. By the time he reached Santiago de Compostela, I think he had over 3,000 people like or comment on his post that day. We all felt like we knew Steve through his daily posts.
Steve is a doer. He returned home from his peregrination to sit down an write a book - Pilgrim Strong. You can order it here. Steve launched his nationwide book tour this weekend at the Brentwood, TN REI store. He stayed with us.
I reached out to him several months back and offered to host a party here at the house. I introduced him to the good folks over at REI and - well - there you have it. He's embarking on a book tour that will eventually take him to 24 states and several more REI stores.
Steve is at the REI store now. Kim and I have been cooking since 7:00 this morning. We'll host a party tonight. Tapas all round. Great Spanish wines. All the food is homemade. All the prep is done with love.
This is what Camino means to me. Sharing stories. Sharing food. Sharing company.
Give some thought to hosting a party for friends soon. Doesn't have to be for a specific thing (book tour), but that sometimes helps. Host a party. Brag on a friend. Shine the light on someone you like.