In late September, the rain poured down as if it held a deep resentment for the world. Claire found herself seated in her worn sedan, the engine sputtering to a halt, as she gazed at the flickering neon sign of the Avon River Motel. The sign emitted a persistent buzz and hiss, its red illumination seeping into the drenched asphalt like a fresh wound. The motel appeared neglected, a remnant of a bygone era, with paint peeling like the skin of someone sunburned and its windows obscured by the grime accumulated from countless storms. She sat in her vehicle frantically writing.
“People who are pulled through the hurt have an opportunity to explain the way things are, to understand their situation, to recognize things they see, to be hopeful and open and motivated, and even to feel threatened by other people. People get hurt. So, not everyone is looking to be a victim. And not everyone will take the time to understand the trauma of others’ abuse and suffer for it. Some people are actually creating a social ladder out of it — where people who are hurt empathizes with others who are not. And that is wrong. People need to get out of this right. And understanding how others are affected means that they don’t need to victimize others to begin with. And that’s empery. We need to understand the elephant in the room that empathy is not money. If we know exactly who a person is, we know that our job is to perform work, and so there is a need for compassion and empathy. All victims experience subtle, unconscious patterns of emotions, and then are primed to respond to those patterns of emotions in a traumatic situation. The ideas, perceptions, and attitudes that are taken into conversation with their family or coworkers can impair this response to feelings. The better chose to deal with the negative affect, the better feeling you will feel. It’s very easy for people who have been hurt and hurt to want to leave it at that. But they can be burdened with the feelings of fear that can prevent them from doing so. Many people leave their lives because of so much too much. But although therapists can heal, not everyone who leaves a trauma of a very large nature feels the same way or is affected by the trauma. Some people are empathizers, but it’s not so easy to just be one of these people. We cannot cure everyone sickened by their trauma, but we can help them learn to cope.”
Room 12 was at the far end of the motel, its door slightly askew, giving it a quirky charm. Claire pushed it open and stepped inside, a wave of nostalgia sweeping over her as she inhaled the scent of faded memories. The room was a quirky treasure trove—the bed sagged just enough to feel cozy, adorned with a colorful blanket that told stories of its own. A vintage TV sat in the corner, an amusing relic from the past, and the bathroom, though strong in its scent, whispered tales of countless adventures. Claire dropped her bag on the floor and flopped onto the bed, the springs creaking in a cheerful symphony, ready for her to create new memories in this little slice of joy.