“I always see him happy. That’s what matters most.” That’s how a father greeted us when he arrived by bike with his son after riding many kilometers. A simple sentence that captures the meaning of this journey.
The Bonaria Pilgrimage, over 110 km from Usellus to Cagliari from August 25 to 31, 1926, was my second pilgrimage this summer after the Borghi Silenti pilgrimage—a “special pilgrimage”: a walk for inclusion, together with the young people from Insuperabile, Maria Luisa Garatti, Mariella Faustinoni, Gilda Luzzi, and this year also with Monica Mazzola, a friend and colleague.
An authentically Sardinian route: rural and unpaved roads, trails through the countryside, gravel roads, and a few paved sections, winding through open landscapes, hills, and small towns. A journey that isn’t always easy—with sun, dust, climbs, and stages exceeding 20 km—that puts your legs and mind to the test, yet continually rewards you with beauty and silence.
And above all, encounters, smiles, and stories. Giorgio telling me, “I’m happy—I’ve walked a lot.” Cristian getting ready for the New York Marathon. Daniele, who never gave up. Marco, always by his dad’s side.
And then there was the meeting with the kids at the Quartucciu juvenile detention center: another form of exclusion, other stories, other questions. Some words and some hugs will stay with me for a long time.
I thought I would walk this path with them. Instead, this path has walked through me.
I left to be there for someone. I came back feeling as though someone had been there for me.
Thank you to everyone who walked these kilometers with us—a wonderful group of educators and volunteers. Sometimes all it takes is walking together to realize that, in the end, we’re all on the same path.
Luana Penna
