Last temple for now/I'll be back

After a few days of rest/exploring Kochi city, I decided to head home early and pick up the pilgrimage again some other year. I injured my foot to the point where I can only walk by slowly hobbling around, and it is healing too slowly to do any good on this trip. I visited temple 28 yesterday, which involved almost no climbing, but the pain I was in validated my decision to go home to rest up and seek medical assistance.

I deposited my last osamefuda for now, and left my trusty sticks at temple 28 in a quiet garden outside of the stamp office. I am so grateful to have come as far as I have on this trip and to have met all of the wonderful people. I am thankful for all the small and major encounters with my lodging hosts, temple staff, random people on the street, and shop owners here in Shikoku. Each one of them meant a lot to me, and I have a better understanding of 一期一会 (ichi-go, ichi-e): one time, one meeting. Although I'm certainly bummed to put off finishing on this trip, I'm grateful for what I have done and looking forward to coming back. As I learned, people complete this pilgrimage in all manner of ways. I'm inspired by the octogenarians Dwayne and I met at temple 1 who were making their 201st go-round and by my trail friend Kei who has been taking what weekends she can to fly to Shikoku to finish two and three days at a time. I will be back sometime soon.

I'll pick this blog back up when I make my plans to return. またね~