on travel

seneca is quoted as saying "travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind."  i find this true, wherever we are.  just this week i have traveled thousands of miles without leaving home; all having to do with navigating the mysteries of the human heart and what it means to grow/expand/get out of the boat (whatever semantics you wish to attach here) loving deeply and not wanting to miss a thing.  i discovered my soul print and calling after 37 years: "a passionate beauty-lover and creator who shares joy with others" and now can spend the next 37 living that out.  so i've circumvented the globe right here at home.  on a literal local level, i ran into one of the founding members of the local art/travel community in the grocery store.  (i recongnized her from a magazine photo--an elegant white-haired woman) and actually followed her with my cart, got her attention and thanked her for everything she's done to beautify our city and class it up (see also allison inn, jory, art elements and chehalem cultural center). soon i'm off to the local farmer's market with my canvas bag.  that's travel, too.  all the while i'm planning our trip to france and discovering all of the things their country has in common with oregon and appreciating the differences.  change of place--whether that's one step, one mile or one thousand miles--does indeed bring vigor to your heart and mind.