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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Councilors discuss way forward for public art ... 'Project BudBurst' to track wildflower bloom times ... Homeless resource summit set for Thursday ... Councilors discuss way forward for public art ... 'Project BudBurst' to track wildflower bloom times ... Homeless resource summit set for Thursday ... MOCHA MUSINGS Mocha Musings: Ready for adventure in parts unknown Comment By Susanne Severeid for the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Susanne Severeid for the Tidings Posted Apr. 5, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Susanne Severeid for the Tidings Posted Apr. 5, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News I bought a really cool luggage tag today. Walked into one of the colorful shops we have here on Main Street near the plaza, and this tag caught my eye: an illustration of a peacock resplendent with bright plumage. Somehow, it dovetails with my sense of adventure right now. Its bright hues of purple, aqua, crimson and black beckoned to me. Mind you, I’m not sure if that’s a moon in the upper right-hand corner or a pale sun, but I am certain it is a white cloud in the upper left corner. Or is it, now that I turn it upside down and take a closer look, a spur of land jutting out from an imaginary shore, and is that a tree at its very edge bearing bright red fruit? The peacock itself is a proud and haughty creature, its tail long and feathers full, puffing out with the pride that comes from knowing that it looks damn fine. I could envision that tag on my brand new, lime green carry-on as I trundled down the ramp at Charles DeGaulle in Paris, Kloten in Zurich or Schiphol in Amsterdam (a personal favorite). Or, since I’m on a riff now and have not yet been to Italy, how about Milan’s Malpensa or, better yet, perhaps, Madrid’s Barajas on my way to walking the Camino de Santiago? I’m in the mood to travel; have the itch to rove. To move about, wander. Maybe it’s the change of seasons, or because my only child flew the coop and is off to college, or maybe it’s just … because I love adventure. But that fanciful peacock spoke to me this afternoon. Almost as if, of all the other sundry, whimsical items in that store chock-full of trinkets and baubles, it said directly to me, “I’m yours! Take me! I have gifts to give to you if only you will hear me.” “If only,” it seemed to say, “you will listen.” Do we listen to that inner voice that calls out to us? You know the one. The voice that calls out for change. For, dare I say it, risk? Do we heed its siren song to try something new, something unfamiliar? Many do. And we need, we must, continue to do so, for therein lies the magic, the romance, the very juice of life — that which keeps us in tune with what is important. Oh, the daily stuff you know already: paying bills, insurance claims, membership dues, jury summons we try to get out of. Yes, of course, we must do these things. But the nectar of life, ah, it lies elsewhere. It lies deep within us and, as Thoreau said, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” We must listen to that voice, for it is the only voice that truly matters. We do have the power to transform our lives. We do have the power to see beyond that which is holding us back. And, as a Native American shaman told me recently, “We need to cut through the illusion and drink deeply of our power. We need to take back our own power.” Without hesitation, I bought the luggage tag, for I knew instinctively that it was mine. The salesgirl wrapped it in pink tissue paper and when I got home, I cut off the store tag and, right away, I took out a pen and wrote my name on it. My formal last name has 21 letters, not including hyphens and spaces, but I wrote it all on there. I wanted to own it, like some kind of talisman meant just for me. Then I attached the buckle firmly to my lime green carry-on. I can see it in my closet now. Ready to travel, to move, to capture whatever my own power might be. Ready. For adventure. Award-winning author, TV presenter and world traveler Susanne Severeid is an Ashland resident who enjoys making time for the important things in life — including mocha. Read more of her columns at bit.ly/adtssmm . For more, go to www.susannesevereid.com . Email her at [email protected] . By Susanne Severeid for the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Susanne Severeid for the Tidings Posted Apr. 5, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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