The Gift

I've met some wonderful people. There is a young couple from Tennessee that has been walking at the same daily pace as me so I've seen them for the last four evenings. Sam is 6'7" and Courtney is 6'0". They beam good will. At one point I commented that I don't start walking really early like some people do because it is too dark and I don't have a flashlight to find the camino markers. The next evening Courtney gave me her compact, slightly heavy well-made flashlight. I thanked her. "Your backpack is too heavy!" I've heard several times a day. I've contravened all the advice and not paid attention to the holy scriptures of the camino guide book. But since I am staying til Dec 1, I have a few extra items. And as weknow, nurses have strong backs (right Elaine?) and I am not struggling. But I did think about the flashlight a lot as I walked. A gift given with love but not appreciated.
Next story... Yesterday I was walking alone singing and thinking and having a lovely time on a country road lined with grape trees when a light sprinkle of rain started. Along came a woman towards me and I asked her to cover my backpack with my shirt. I asked her if she was walking the camino backwards, Santiago to StJean, as a few people do and she told me that she had walked out her front door in Germany and walked to Santiago. Now she was walking back and proceeding to Jerusalem. "For Jesus", she said as she walked on. I wondered how that huge effort helped Jesus...
These thoughts combined today like this.. both are gifts given with love and sincere good intentions. But maybe there is one more step needed. Are they useful, do they actually help anyone or change anyone's circumstance for the better?
Result... I gave the flashlight back to Courtney with thanks and an explanation that my pack was too heavy. I will try to make gifts that help make a difference.