Pilgrimage

The blog RevGalBlogPals, which I read, has a regular posting called Friday Five -- five questions that the members of the ring can choose to answer. I'm not a member of the ring, but I liked these questions:

1. Have you ever been on a pilgrimage? (however you choose to define the term) Share a bit about it. If not, what's your reaction to the idea of pilgrimage? I wouldn't say that I have a been on a pilgrimage, if you define it as traveling to a far off land to visit a religious location. I have been called a pilgrim, though, and that experience might be considered a pilgrimage. Those who go on an Emmaus walk are called pilgrims. The best description of it might be found on a JtM's guest blogging post. It's a great experience -- transformational.
2. Share a place you've always wanted to visit on pilgrimage. I'm not sure that I have a place in mind for a pilgrimage. One of the most spiritual experiences I have had lately -- as a trip -- was when Steve, JtM, MT and I took the youth group on a spring retreat to our Annual Conference Retreat Center. It was relaxing and quiet and close to God. Does that qualify as a pilgrimage? I would want a pilgrimage to have that kind of feeling.
3. What would you make sure to pack in your suitcase or backpack to make the pilgrimage more meaningful? Or does "stuff" just distract from the experience? Camera. My camera is one of the tools that I use to see God in the world. If I have my camera, I will keep my eyes open. I miss it when I don't have it.
4. If you could make a pilgrimage with someone (living, dead or fictional) as your guide, who would it be? (I'm about this close to saying "Besides Jesus." Yes, we all know he was indispensable to those chaps heading to Emmaus, but it's too easy an answer). Do I want a guide? I think I would rather just have friends.
5. Eventually the pilgrim must return home, but can you suggest any strategies for keeping that deep "mountaintop" perspective in the midst of everyday life? (don't mind me, I'll be over here taking notes). No, you can't. By definition, the mountaintop is only a place to visit. Jesus went to the mountaintop, but then even he came back down to the valley. It's not that "feeling" that makes the difference, once you are back in the world. It is instead the transformation that occurs. The transformation can be permanent, while the emotions are not.