WHY DID I WRITE THE LAST STOP MOTEL????

Many of us only see a stranger from an outward view. Actually, this is the only way that we can see someone that we do not meet and get to know about in person. No contact. This is a superficial view. The word superficial, usually has a negative connotation to it. It is often heard, or used, when one calls another, shallow. Coldly said, in judgment, or, counter-judgment. But, here and now, it is used a bit more broadly. In a hope of illuminating our view of others. Especially strangers.

Strangers? The mysterious person, who is always just on the outside of the group. The one in the back. The quiet person. Many times, a stranger makes others uncomfortable just because of their existence. Why is this?

In answer to the question, A simple solution to removing the mystery of an individual, is to have a conversation with them. When we do not do this, our imagination comes up with whatever answers it chooses. And they are usually wrong.

Questions and answers, talking and listening. Getting to know someone. Isn’t that how it’s done? In today’s world, I don’t think that we do talk to each other as much as we used to. We seem to be growing farther apart, instead of growing closer together.

Actually, in fact, we are simply,…staying apart. This we do, because of, not getting closer. Our society has been tainted by fear. And, the fear that I speak of now, is an unhealthy fear. This fear is destructive. It leaves individuals, to be individuals.

Loneliness is called loneliness for a good reason. We, as one person, are alone. We have heard these fear based sayings for the last forty years especially,…things like, “don’t talk to strangers”,…and a new term, which is, “stranger danger.” using rhyme to make it more memorable…especially for children.

Fact is, if we never spoke to a stranger, or took the time to get to know them,…then,…none of us would have any friends at all, would we?

But now,…we, perhaps too often,…just leave strangers,…alone. Separation is isolation. In the prison system, isolation is the worst form of punishment, outside of the death penalty. Isolation, is like the death penalty, except the, individual, is alive to feel his loneliness. At least, thankfully, the electric chair is, in this respect,…merciful.

Someone on death row, is referred to as a “dead man walking.” this term may only be used when they are walking to their actual end. Lethal injection. Firing squad. Hanging. Gas chamber. Electric chair. Dead man walking.

In the every day world in which we live, a person, when left alone, or ignored, or neglected,…every second they are a dead man (or woman) walking.

The stranger. Most of us no more than glance their way. Just long enough to take note of their presence among, or near us. And then we go about, our, business.

We see them, for the most part, as just another human, not so different than our self. But every one of us has a story. A past. Some of our pasts have been extremely painful. Some, so much so, that we have never told another human about what we have been through. There are many different reasons for not doing so.

But, whatever we have experienced in our lives, can remain very alive in our memories. And, this is not always a good thing. Especially if what we have experienced has been tragic,…and painful. So,…when, and if, we dress like the next person, talk like the next person, have a normal job like the next person, etc,…then we can just kind of blend in with the rest of society. This is false acceptance. But this is not who we are. This is how we appear,…and what we do. Who we are, is on the inside of us. And this,…is where, this, begins.

The character in the last stop motel is a person who is quietly tortured by regrets. Memories of the very bad and painful things in his life is what he has to guide his life. Is he me? Yes. He was me. Is he still me? No.

But, no matter if this is past tense, or present tense,…the memories are still with me. Good ones bad ones, happy ones, sad ones.

Why do I say that his memories guide his life? Because until we see, or find, or are offered a new way to live our life, or a new path, other than the one which we have walked, and have lived,…we just keep gong the best way that we know how. Not sure if we are going forward. Or sideways. Or even backwards. Many times we have no idea where we are going. We just breathe in and out. And keep going, for as long as we can.

As I already wrote, we all have a different life experience. Some of us had very stable and loving parents. Through them, we developed our patterns, or, they developed our patterns. One way or another, we will carry these things with us as we live our life.

Good memories, of good examples,…are good motivators. As we see that hope is much more than an unattainable word. Through a Godly family, we have something, something good, that those from an unGodly family don’t. We have a real world, faith based, structure. A solid structure. A practical structure.

I’m stopping here for now……