Jacqueline Thornley: Turner Reflection

Turner discusses the classifications of pilgrimage. The modern pilgrimage description was the most interesting to me. I feel like today we have so many examples of pilgrimage that we are almost becoming immune to the true benefits. It seems every book you read or show you watch or story you hear is about some modern pilgrim embarking on a journey of sorts and going through some transformation. While this is a always an interesting an inspirational type of tale, I wonder whether or not the pilgrimage will one day become just a myth. The stories are so readily available that we can just turn on the TV or crack open a book to hear about them, yet how many of us have actually been on our own pilgrimage? I imagine the number is small. I mean I’m not in that population either and although I would love to make some sort of pilgrimage one day, like hiking the Appalachian Trail, or embarking upon some grand transformational adventure, but life always seems to get in the way. I just hope that pilgrimages always continue and they don’t just become stories of legend and lore.