Buen Camino
Gordon Bernhardt
Lots of people take a walk to clear their heads, but have you ever walked over six hundred miles to do it?
In the summer of 2018, Gordon J. Bernhardt, founder and president of Bernhardt Wealth Management, set a goal of walking the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrim route in Spain, as a way of reconnecting with what mattered most in his life. Seeking clarity for his business, his relationships, and his priorities in life, he set out on a misty, gray morning from a small town in the French Pyrenees. With people of all ages, nationalities, and beliefs, he traveled the trail leading to the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela, near the Atlantic coast of northern Spain.
The lessons Gordon learned as a peregrino—a pilgrim—on the Camino ranged from insights on financial advising and investing to the importance of noticing the tiniest details of each day: like the ant trails winding across the path at his feet, or the “smiling sunflower” that lightened his steps in the middle of a hot summer day, or the simple greeting of “buen camino” hand-painted on a rock beside the trail.
In Buen Camino: What a Hike through Spain Taught Me about Investing and Life, you’ll walk the trail with Gordon and his “fellowship” of traveling companions as together they seek a common destination. Along the way, you’ll learn the importance of taking with you only what you really need. You’ll experience the unexpected pleasures of hearing musicians strolling along a narrow street in a Spanish village, and you’ll feel the exhausted gratification of finally standing atop an oceanside hilltop, gazing out at “the end of the world.”
If you have ever longed for greater clarity—in a career, in a relationship, or in understanding life’s true priorities—take some time to walk the trail with a dependable, friendly fellow traveler. Buen Camino: What a Hike through Spain Taught Me about Investing and Life will remind you that though we’re all walking a different path, we’re all headed for a common destination.
Press & Praise
Buen Camino is more than pages in a book or a story shared. Gordon's book is a journey in which you join and which will touch your soul. As you walk with Gordon through the pages, you will find yourself asking deep and probing questions of your own life journey, how you are experiencing today, preparing for tomorrow, and yes, stopping to be aware, to be present. Rich with colorful encounters, unforeseen challenges, one senses strength in the air, accomplishment with each step, and gratitude for lessons learned. Rarely are you gifted with someone's journey so impactful to your own.
As Gordon points out in this joyous book of journey, 'we are all fellow travelers working in tandem toward a common goal.' By staying present and open to possibilities, you'll discover within these pages the keys to legacy and purpose.
From Gordon's journey, we learn walking can be good, not just for body and mind—but also for the soul. A heartfelt expression that transcends barriers between financial and spiritual well-being. A must-read, written from the heart. Thank you for this book!
