Who Owns the Hotel?

Okay, for those of you who have known me for a billion years will know what I am talking about when I say that I used to be able to hold a grudge like nobody's business! I could not only hold it but I would nurture it, frame it, place it in a prominent place within my inner being. I would give it a forefront place so that I could access it at any moment and use it to rekindle or fuel any feeling of animosity or feelings of revenge for any action against me whether real or perceived. It's what I thrived on.

One day about 10 or 11 years ago I had to attend one of those boring classes that my work made me go to. I slugged along and decided that as long as I was trapped in the room and since I was late (there's a surprise) and had to sit up front, I might as well pay attention to what was being taught.

The speaker asked me who owned my hotel. Owned my hotel?! Did I own a hotel? Did some rich relative I did not know play kick the can with a bucket and leave me a hotel? No, nothing so grand as that (owning the hotel, not kicking the bucket).

I screwed my courage up and asked the speaker if I owned a hotel. He said "I don't know. Everyone has the potention to own their hotel!" and then proceeded to explain.

We each have ownership of a hotel. Most of the time it is a residential hotel, and most of the time we allow all kinds of miscreants to take up residence for an extended period of time. We oblige our guests by offering them the best and cushiest accomodations available. We feed them constantly to make sure they are healthy and strong. We have them in a place of honor and proudly show them off to whomever will allow us to. It seems like we never have a shortage of people who want to meet our guest. All in all, we treat them to the best of what we have! They in return, keep our hotel in disarray, keep us from our true goals, never stop feeding off of our generosity, never go away, intentionally hurt us and others, make us paranoid, and all around keep our hotel in filth.

Then the speaker asked us, if this was your hotel, would you allow these guest to remain? All of us gave a resounding "NO!". He said "really? Because this is what happens when you do not let go of past issues and wrongs done to you. These are your guests". Then he challenged us by asking "Who owns the hotel? Do you own it or do you just have ownership of it? Who are you going to let check in? Someone you like and want to spend time with or the miscreants who live there now?".

Now, I always ask myself if I own the hotel and I only let in the ones I want to enjoy and make me feel good. I have evicted all the ones who have no respect for me or my hotel! I really like spending time in my hotel. That's not to say occasionally some miscreant takes up residence for a short time but as soon as I realize it's not in my best interest I kick them out! Management has the right to refuse service to anyone. I have that right because I OWN THE HOTEL!

Marina the mom