Who is this James Aleph anyway?

 

Ok I have recieved a lot of questions so I will attempt to set the record straight.

Why did you call your site JamesAleph.com?

When I was searching for my camino blog domain name I wanted something unique. The Camino de Santiago Compostella is also known as the “Way of St. James”. I have a sister that is twelve years younger then me and when she first started talking she had quite the time pronouncing my name, Liza Jane. She said Liza James. My family has always been big on nick names and for some reason James stuck. Over the years I have been called James so often I answer to it. Usually any birthday or Christmas gifts are addressed to James. It also felt very “Pilgrimage” to be walking the way of St. James having been called James. The Aleph part comes from having just finished Paulo Coelho’s book “Aleph”. Aleph having several different meanings. I resonated with it describing a point in space that contains all other spaces at once. Only after walking the camino did I really know how true this was.

Why did you want to walk across Spain?

In February 2004 I was riding my motorcycle when a truck swerved into my lane from oncoming traffic. He hit me. I almost lost my leg. I was airlifted to the hospital and put in ICU for three weeks hovering between life and death. Told my leg would never function again. Doctors insisted I amputate my leg. I refused. I spent several more weeks in the hospital. Then several months flat on my back in bed. All this time the “Professionals” kept scheduling amputation surgery which I just kept refusing. Then I was in a wheel chair for a few years. After an amazing doctor was able to graft bone into my leg where I was missing about 1.5″. Needless to say over the last few years leading up to this adventure on the Camino I have had 21 operations to reconstruct my leg. Walking on my own two feet became my dream. In August 2011 I had an operation to remove a metal plate from my upper leg. Suddenly I wasn’t having nearly as much pain from walking and my knee seemed to improve. It was the first time I considered the Camino since before my accident. To me a walk around the grocery store could sometime lay me up for two days. When I first told people what I wanted to do by flying to Spain I pretty much got the same response… Is that safe? Are you sure this is wise? What if you have a medical problem when you get there? etc etc etc…. Hell, even though I wouldn’t admit it I was questioning myself. Bottom line, in my head anyway, was to just attempt to walk the pilgrimage road was a victory. Yes it could be expensive to fly around the world to step off the plane and start walking and have to fly right home again. Yes I could have problems. But I kept thinking; The doctors always told me it would never be possible for my leg to be a functional limb again. Too much arterial damage. Too much bone damage. Not enough muscle tissue left. So considering all that if I only take a few steps it is still more then was considered possible by everyone around me. That was the first reason. The second big reason is I wanted a new chapter in my life. Anyone that has gone through recovery and endless surgeries or chemotherapy knows that it fills every aspect of your life. I wanted a defining moment to say: I did it. I reached my goal. I am walking on my two feet when everyone said it was impossible. I needed something bigger then the memory of the cycle of operations and recovery.

How did you learn about the Camino?

Many years ago I read a book called The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and learned something very basic and very true…
“When you desire something with all your heart the whole universe conspires to help.”
I felt the truth of the words and decided to read more from this wise man. I read his book “The Pilgrimage” where he talked about his journey on the Camino. Something resonated with me and I decided, one day I will do this thing called the Camino.

So the last question brings everything full circle. It is truly great how one random act of kindness can change a life. A dear friend of mine gave me the book “The Alchemist” about 15 years ago. It was because I had learned that one piece of wisdom and believed it that I have my leg today. My pure desire was to walk again with my own two feet. This one simple act of kindness that in the moment may have seemed nothing more then sharing a book recommendation ended up changing my life.

It is time to change the world. Remember, your actions do count. Sometimes you may never know how or when but that doesn’t mean they aren’t important. So, be the change! Take a moment for that random act of kindness.