Free Day and Thoughts of Home by Wendy (team leader)
Today was our free day. We headed into Baddeck for lunch and some shopping. Along the way we stopped at some local galleries, where we found some great local treasures to bring home with us. Lunch was at Tom’s Pizza, a restaurant the group had been hoping to try for several days. After sharing a delicious pizza, we split up and enjoyed the small town charm of Baddeck, shopping and talking to locals. Before leaving town, we stopped at the local co-op market, where the group shopped for tomorrow night’s stone soup dinner.
As we have travelled around Cape Breton this week, we have shared the reason for our visit with many of the local people. I have been struck by the enthusiasm and warmth shown to us by the people we have shared with. One of pilgrims loves heart shaped rocks and had seen some stationary that she wanted. We found it at a local art gallery and we explained to the gallery owner why we had come to Cape Breton and why we had come to her gallery. She was so excited to hear about our trip and instantly told our pilgrim to go out and take a heart shaped rock from her private rock garden. Her generosity truly touched me.
I have been moved by the kindness of the people on Cape Breton. They have helped us feel so welcome and we are grateful for all that has been done for us. It is the feeling of kindness that has become the theme of the week for me. As one of the adults on this trip, it has been moving to see how powerful the kindness of our teenage pilgrims toward each other and toward me and my colleague can be. They are truly an amazing group of young people. As Shawn has guided us in our spiritual journey, I pray that this is the beginning of great things for this wonderful group.