Bunch of idealists!

Last week I visited the Nijmegen alderman for culture Bert Velthuis. Together with Theo, the publisher of our pilgrim book of hours,  I wanted to find out whether the municipality is willing to pre-finance 2000 or 3000 starter packages for pilgrims. This package contains the book that doubles as a pilgrim’s passport, a lace with the icon of our route and a set of biodegradable bags to pick up litter. We believe that the price should not be a barrier to make a ‘walk of wisdom’ and want to buy the starter packs in bulk. 

It turned out to be an animated conversation.

Velthuis, a member of the Socialist Party and a teacher of art at the university of applied sciences for many years, personally came to pick us up at the front desk of the town hall and led us through the corridor. His half-length, gray hair fluttered through the room, offering an airy counterpart to his sturdy build and step.

So you are … Pilgrims. It wasn’t a question. I felt sober ridicule. Indeed! I responded with sincere naivety.

One of his officials joined us in the office. Theo, the publisher, started talking about his book, which will be published next year. I followed with an enthusiastic story about the Walk of Wisdom: worldwide route, all people part of the same earth, apart from a religion, telephone and internet off as much as possible, start small from around Nijmegen and grow from there.

Velthuis looked at me all the time. Impassive, his large body as an anchor in the chair.

He reached for an imaginary mobile phone. When they dig us up in 1000 years, we will be found with a phone in hand.

His eyes danced. Looked at me, slightly curious.

It’s true! I replied. That’s what makes the route special: we create a space where you don’t have to use it on your phone. Call it 21st century fasting. Does everyone good for a few days.

For the first time, movement in his shoulders: he shrugged them up.

It’s not right, “There is no pilgrimage tradition here at all,”  his official suggested.

I jumped out of my chair. True! I exclaimed. We allow that tradition to develop. The Camino to Santiago has also started once. It started with inspiration and grew from there with the support of those in power at the time. You are a ruler of today.

The civil servant – at least – nodded, but the only thing that moved at Velthuis was his head, which turned from his civil servant to me. He snatched the route guide of our pioneer route, the Streekpad Nijmegen, from the table and leafed through it.

Field: I walked that route. Nice.

I got hopeful. Velthuis leafed through. There was silence for a moment. Do you know what the circulation of this is? He looked at me. Me: about 2000 to 2500. Field: And how long do they last… 10 years?

It started to dawn on us that we had come to the wrong place at Velthuis. He didn’t “see” it. On the other hand, his questions were understandable from his position. The Walk of Wisdom is more than just a walking route, So I continued.

We’re adding something. The pilgrim does not go out alone, but with a book full of reflections on symbolic forerunners: well-known Dutch people such as Tommy Wieringa, Herman Wijffels and Inez van Oord who wrote a page about their philosophy of life and each in their own way believe in connection with others and the world. At the end of the route, pilgrims write such a page for future publications. In this way, we hope that a new tradition will emerge. We also arrange pilgrim hostels where pilgrims meet after a day of walking.

Frosty gaze at Velthuis.

Are you familiar with the phenomenon of pilgrim hostels? I asked.

Yes….

It turned out that he had walked a part of Santiago and was bothered to death: that hype, that snoring of other pilgrims.

I pointed out that the hype was an opportunity: Santiago fills up with 210,000 pilgrims a year. There is a need for a new route. And if you don’t like bunk beds, take a hotel.

Field: But why would you run that …. A round?!

I explained that this was the core of our message: wherever you go, you always come back to yourself. Our route does not go somewhere, but inwards.

Velthuis began to move in his chair. Looked at the official, at me, at Theo – we spoke passionately and sat on the edge of our seats and made broad gestures. Something of benevolence came into his eyes.

He thought that was a nice idea, of that round. And to connect those circles around cities, nice.

But his body soon became a tree trunk in the chair again.

You are a bunch of idealists. You don’t get those people here.

End of conversation.

Is Velthuis right? We’ll see.