Pilgrim's Postcards: Every Step Is a Story Podcast

PhotosClick here for a slideshow of photos that accompany the podcast.TranscriptWhile traveling in larger cities, one expects to find graffiti decorating the walls of buildings and overpasses. No one expects to find it on the walls of a 1400-year-old cathedral. In this episode, graffiti in an unexpected place helped me to find beauty in questions about the deeper meaning of life.I’m Emily, and you’re listening to Pilgrim’s Postcards–the podcast where every step is a story.It was the last day of our trip, and Lisa and I had already had quite a morning. We enjoyed a hike along the Cliffs of Dover and then made our way to Canterbury.I had been looking forward to visiting this city. From the research I had done, it looked like a wonderful town with many shops, restaurants, and cute streets to explore. And of course, it has connections to two important works: Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and Dorothy L. Sayers’s The Zeal of Thy House.Needless to say, I was excited to reach the city and to visit the historic cathedral that had inspired many pilgrims before me.Even though Lisa and I had already visited St. Paul’s Cathedral, Salisbury Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey, walking into Canterbury Cathedral still filled me with awe. I attend a small house church, and the cathedrals are vastly different from the humble church I attend. No matter how many cathedrals I visit, each one is magnificent and breathtaking in its own way. The people working at the cathedral smiled at me kindly, enjoying my obviously overawed reaction to stepping into the cathedral’s narthex.I spoke with one of the greeters, and I remember asking her what her favorite part of the cathedral is. She told me that it was the crypt which surprised me. (For me, the crypt still sounded like the creepiest part of the building.) She gave me directions to find it, and I promised that I would take a look.I took my time, wandering through the nave, the central space of the cathedral, and admiring the high ceilings, the architecture, and the details. I found the list of the different Archbishops of Canterbury and took a moment to appreciate that the next name on the list would be a woman’s name.I found the spot where Thomas Becket had been murdered at the order of Henry II. As the greeter had told me, the entrance to the crypt was next to the shrine. But also near to the place of Becket’s murder was a tunnel that pilgrims used to reach the spot without having to go through the main sanctuary. And in that tunnel, I found something that surprised me.Someone had graffitied the walls of this sacred building! My mind raced with questions. Who would do such a thing? How in the world were they able to paint graffiti on the walls without getting caught? Why wasn’t it cleaned off? What in the world was going on?As I moved throughout the rest of the building, I discovered more spots where graffiti adorned the walls or the stairs.Eventually, I learned that this was part of an art installation titled “Hear Us.” Participants were members of marginalized communities in partnership with a poet, artists, and the Cathedral curator.The individuals involved in the project were asked the question: “What would you ask God?” Their responses were gathered and transformed into transfers that they could post around the cathedral.What at first seemed like a desecration of the cathedral turned into a beautiful, artistic expression of humanity’s quest for meaning.The questions included…* Is this all there is?* God, what happens when we die?* Is illness sin?* Why does there have to be a meaning to everything?* Does our struggle mean anything?Some of the questions were even written in poetic form:* This is my question for a God up above: why so much violence instead of love?These questions are as timeless as the cathedral itself. Each new generation must wrestle with these as well as other questions about life. The Book of Psalms in the Bible is a great example of how those in the past wrestled with doubts and wonderings about humanity’s purpose and time on our planet. Our questions are a part of our humanity.While trying to find a theme for my teacher creativity project, I was inspired by the British Pilgrimage Trust. Part of their goal as an organization is to make pilgrimage accessible to everyone, regardless of religious beliefs. They assert that “Pilgrimage is a pathway for practices that elevate the experience of moving through a landscape to one that is also an inner journey. The British Pilgrimage Trust believes that such a journey should be made on an individual’s own terms, requiring no set beliefs. It is a pathway that should be open, accessible, and welcoming to all.”Our questions about the deeper meaning of life are something that can unite us. We won’t all have the same answers, but we are each pilgrims, attempting to find meaning in our individual lives. Of all of the questions that I read on the walls of Canterbury Cathedral, the one that impacted me the most was the one asking about why there is so much violence instead of love. Wars have been fought over having different answers to the deeper questions of life. What if we all reached towards love instead of violence? How different would our world be?This wraps up the last episode of Season 1. You can find a link to a photo gallery of the “Hear Us” exhibit at Canterbury Cathedral in today’s show notes.Our next season will begin in June after I return from my pilgrimage to Ireland. This pilgrimage will start at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin and will end with the ancient pilgrimage route up Croagh Patrick in Westport. Thank you for listening, and I’ll see you in June.CreditsMusic: A Million Faces (instrumental)Produced by Sascha EndeLink: https://ende.app/en/song/372-a-million-faces-instrumental This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pilgrimspostcards.substack.com

PhotosClick here for a slideshow of photos that accompany the podcast.TranscriptOne of my bucket list items was to see the English Channel. I had been planning and dreaming about this day for quite some time. I had not, however, planned on an impromptu climb in a pair of waterproof walking shoes that ironically do not have good traction. In this episode, I am going to share how my overactive imagination led to a panic attack on the Cliffs of Dover.I’m Emily, and you’re listening to Pilgrim’s Postcards–the podcast where every step is a story.Lisa and I exited Dover train station and were greeted by blue, sunny skies. After a couple of days of rain, we were thankful for the change in weather. Our plan was to find a taxi to take us to the White Cliffs of Dover Visitor Centre. From there, we would have a nice, leisurely walk along the cliffs, enjoy the views of the English Channel, and then return to the train station around lunch time to make our way to Canterbury.We found a taxi driver just outside the station and told him our destination. He showed us a brochure and gave us a different suggestion. He could drop us off at a footpath near the South Foreland Lighthouse. It would save us some time on our walk, and it was only a few pounds more to drive there instead. I hadn’t planned on walking all the way to the lighthouse, but Lisa and I were feeling adventurous and decided to go along with his suggestion.The taxi driver had a brochure of the walking route along the Cliffs, and he insisted that we take a picture of it. About 20 minutes later, he dropped us off on the side of a field. This was certainly not what I was expecting. The footpath he showed us looked more like a path a tractor had made through a farmer’s field instead of the trail I had imagined. But we could see the lighthouse in the distance, and the driver had assured us that this path was frequently used by people walking to the Cliffs. He drove off, and Lisa and I started down the alleged footpath.About halfway across the field, we started laughing. This certainly was not how either of us imagined getting to the Cliffs of Dover! Eventually, we made it through the field and to a gate that led onto what we both had thought the footpath would be like. A few moments later, we reached the lighthouse and got our first up-close view of the English Channel. It was certainly the perfect morning for a walk along the Cliffs. The sky was still blue and sunny, and the temperature was just right for a nice, easy walk. We took several photos of the lighthouse before moving along to the grassy path. We found some cows enjoying their breakfast, staying a respectful distance away.Eventually, the grassy path led us to the official walking path. The walking path along the Cliffs is made of smooth, white stones. I was thankful to see the path as it meant that we were indeed on the right track back to the visitor centre.After spending the previous day in the hustle and bustle of London, Lisa and I were both thankful for a nice, relaxing morning stroll out in nature. The views were breathtaking, and we stopped several times to take pictures. At one point, Lisa spotted a grassy path that led away from the official one. “Come on,” she said. “Let’s go this way.”I looked ahead and didn’t see where the path would lead. “Lisa, are you sure? It doesn’t look like there’s a path.”“I see some steps in the distance,” Lisa reassured me. I looked ahead and saw the steps, not feeling reassured.“I don’t think so. I think we should stick to the path,” I called after her. She was already making her way to the route she had seen.“Come on,” she encouraged me. “It’ll be fine!”I gave in and followed her, still very uncertain about this path we were treading.We made our way down a steep descent where the Cliffs make what I can only describe as a small valley. When we got to the bottom, I turned around to see the path we had just descended from. I was shocked at how steep it looked from where we were standing, and I took a picture for future reference.Lisa led the way to the steps she had seen before we climbed down this side of the cliffs. Dear listener, they were not steps. It was more like a goat path up the other side. Once again, Lisa led the way. This was no easy way up. We had to climb up the side, using our hands to help steady us and pull ourselves up the path.Unfortunately, I was not wearing the right kind of shoes for this excursion. They were a new pair of waterproof walking shoes I had purchased for the trip. While the shoes were indeed waterproof, I had discovered that they did not have good traction. I had slipped a little on wet pavement from the previous few days of rain and had learned that I needed to be careful when walking on wet pavement.As we were beginning to climb up, my feet slipped a little on the path–a term I am using loosely. At that point, my overactive imagination kicked in, and I imagined myself losing my foothold and tumbling to my demise in the waters of the English Channel.About halfway up the side, there was a landing area where Lisa and I took a short break. I was obviously not thrilled with the situation she had led me into, and I was starting to get hot from the unexpected exercise. Lisa asked if I was okay, and I said no. But at this point, I knew that I had no choice but to move forward. Climbing was the only way to make it back to the top. I took off my jacket and tied it around my waist.This was a bit of a mistake. Having my jacket around my waist changed my center of gravity. Now, I felt weighed down by my jacket and my purse. Once more, I felt my feet slip, and I paused for a moment in terror. My overactive imagination again sent me down the side of the Cliffs. This is it, I thought to myself. I’m going to die here at the Cliffs of Dover. I knew that the English Channel had a reputation for being dangerous, and I was certain that I was going to fall and plunge into its chilly waters.It was at this moment that I felt my breathing accelerate far beyond what would be normal for the type of exercise I was doing. My heart started racing, and I felt tears begin to prick at my eyes. I looked up. Lisa had reached the top, and I was close. Yet the distance felt impossible to cover. I was having a panic attack on the side of a cliff near a dangerous body of water.I had only one option. I had to give myself a little pep talk and get to the top. I certainly didn’t want the embarrassment of a rescue team of some sort to get me back to the top, and in reality, I didn’t have that much farther to climb. I could make it. I had to. I was almost there.I somehow talked myself out of my frozen state and began to move again. Lisa was waiting for me at the top. I was still breathing quickly and was barely able to get out the words that I was experiencing a panic attack. She insisted that we sit down for a moment, taking in the view of the Channel as I took several deep breaths. While I don’t remember what she said, Lisa sat with me, speaking words of encouragement and comfort. Once my breathing was under control, I turned to her and said, “One day, I’ll be able to laugh at this. But today is not that day.” She smiled at me and was likely suppressing a laugh at my words.We enjoyed the view for a few more moments before standing up and making our way back to the nice, easy, relaxing path that we had abandoned for our little adventure.That hike was not at all what I had envisioned for our morning at the Cliffs of Dover. I had in mind a nice, relaxing walk where Lisa and I could enjoy some fresh air and take some stunning pictures. We certainly had an unexpected adventure there. To commemorate my surviving the cliffs, I bought a bookmark at the Visitor Centre. When I read, it reminds me that I can overcome challenges, even while having a panic attack. And I’m reminded that I’m not alone. While my friend may have led me into that situation, she also stayed by me, helped me to regain my sense of calm, and celebrated my success. Granted, that might be the last time I ever follow her off a trail.And yes, I can now laugh at the memory of the panic attack on the side of the Cliffs of Dover.That’s it for this episode of Pilgrim’s Postcards. Check out the link in the show notes to a photo gallery of our experiences at the Cliffs of Dover. Next time, we’ll make our way to the famous pilgrimage site of Canterbury Cathedral. Thanks for listening.CreditsMusic: A Million Faces (instrumental)Produced by Sascha EndeLink: https://ende.app/en/song/372-a-million-faces-instrumental This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pilgrimspostcards.substack.com

PhotosClick here for a slideshow of photos that accompany the podcast.TranscriptWhen planning for a vacation, everyone hopes for beautiful weather. Sunny skies and cloudless days are ideal, but Mother Nature often has her own ideas. When you travel to England in the fall, you have to be prepared for frequent rainy days. In this episode, we’re going to discover how a spontaneous purchase can bring some laughter to a day of dreary weather.I’m Emily, and you’re listening to the first episode of Pilgrim’s Postcards–the podcast where every step is a story. Season 1 of Pilgrim’s Postcards shares stories from a trip to England in October 2025.My friend Lisa and I had been very fortunate on our travels this time around. The weather had been very cooperative. Sunny skies, fluffy English clouds, and mild temperatures followed us around our journey so far. In fact, I hadn’t been paying much attention to the forecast. That all changed when a tour guide mentioned that the weather was about to take a turn for the worse.I was already working on getting a cold, and I was in denial about it. The scratchy throat…that’s just from being in London for a day. The stuffy nose…that’s only because I might have some allergies.But the morning that we woke up to go to Salisbury, I could be in denial no longer. It was indeed a cold, and that day was promising rain. We made it from the flat to the train with only gray skies, but by the time we got off the train at Salisbury Station, the gray skies were pouring down buckets of rain.Our first stop in Salisbury was a trip out to Stonehenge. It rained heavily the entire time, but the rain only added to the mysterious atmosphere around the stones. By the time we made our way back to Salisbury, however, we were both a little over the rain. We found a nice restaurant to have lunch, hoping that the rain would ease up while we enjoyed our toasted sandwiches, which the English call toasties, and a cup of tea for me.By the time we were ready to move on to our next destination, the rain was still pouring. I discovered that even though my jacket had two layers, it was not waterproof. The rain was still falling steadily, but we knew that it was time to make the walk towards Salisbury Cathedral.By this time, I was feeling quite miserable. My cold was really bothering me, and I knew that being out in the rain like this while fighting off sickness was not helpful. As we walked along the street toward the cathedral, we looked into the stores we were passing to see if there might be one we’d like to visit on the way back. We passed a grocery store, and through the window, I saw a welcome sight: a rack of umbrellas for sale! They were all of £2.50. For that price, I knew the umbrella wasn’t going to be sturdy, but I was desperate for more protection from the rain than what I currently had. I decided that it would be worth the purchase, so Lisa and I stepped into the store so that I could buy the umbrella.When I stepped back out into the rain, I was instantly thankful for the shelter the umbrella provided. I walked confidently through the street. In the distance, we saw the gate that led to Salisbury Cathedral.After we passed under the gate, the road opened up into the churchyard, and we were no longer protected from the wind by the buildings on both sides.In the exact moment that I looked at the cathedral for the first time, a strong gust of wind blew through, turning my umbrella inside out. I laughed, pausing for a moment to fix my poor umbrella, but I could tell already that its cheap construction had taken a toll after one wind gust. Thankfully, the cathedral was a short walk where we could find some shelter, see the Magna Carta, and explore the famous building.Salisbury Cathedral was stunning. Not only did it provide a refuge during the rain, its beautiful architecture was inspiring. Lisa and I wandered happily through its walls while a choir practiced for the Evensong service. We got our Pilgrim Passport stamped and braced ourselves for the windy, rainy walk back to the train station.As we left the cathedral grounds, Lisa fell behind me for a few steps, and I heard her laughter on the wind. She was taking a video of me with the poor umbrella and caught a glimpse of a man who was giving me a funny look. At this point, I couldn’t imagine why it would be so funny when another gust of wind blew the umbrella inside out yet again. I was, however, quite determined that this umbrella was going to protect me from the rain, so I started to hold onto the handle with my right hand and the canopy with my left. The result was mixed as to whether or not that really helped me to stay dry, but without a doubt, it resulted in more laughter from Lisa. At this point, I had to join her in laughing at my predicament. I also started to get strangely attached to this hardworking umbrella and decided to name it Edna.We made it to the train station and grabbed a cup of coffee to help warm us up. When we arrived back in Bath, the rain had still not let up. And poor Edna’s condition was only getting worse. She now flopped pathetically with each step I took, causing more people to stare or laugh at me. At this point, I was proud of this umbrella who was trying her best and failing to do what she was designed to do. Lisa and I laughed at several points on our way back to the flat, and Lisa took several pictures and videos so that I could fully appreciate what I looked like, holding on desperately to an umbrella that was falling apart with each step.Ultimately, my day out in the rain didn’t do much good for my health. My cold got worse with each day, but my day at Stonehenge and in Salisbury is one that I won’t ever forget. The mystery of Stonehenge and the sacred history of Salisbury Cathedral was not diminished by the pouring rain and a cold. And the spontaneous purchase of a cheap umbrella brought some much needed comic relief to two travelers who were determined not to let a downpour ruin what turned out to be one of the most memorable days of our trip.Thank you for listening to the first episode of Pilgrim’s Postcards. If you’d like to see exactly what Edna looked like as she fell apart, then check out the link to the photo gallery in the shownotes. In the next episode, I’ll tell the story of what happened when Lisa and I traveled an unexpected path at the Cliffs of Dover.CreditsMusic: A Million Faces (instrumental)Produced by Sascha EndeLink: https://ende.app/en/song/372-a-million-faces-instrumental This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit pilgrimspostcards.substack.com