Love's Truck Stop
Shephardsville, Kentucky
October 10, 2022
I have so many observations I have made but translating them from my mind to paper is tough. There is something humbling about being at a truck stop for me. They are places I had never been to until three years ago. Everyone here is an equal -- I feel that when I am in the restroom brushing my teeth and shaving in the morning. I observe that when I canvass the cars, trucks and vans that are parked here overnight. I make so many assumptions about the folks I see here; yet when I pause, I realize I know nothing about them. And that may be one of the most important lessons from my trip. I can observe a person -- how they walk, what they wear. 5)3 vehicle they drive - and my intuitive mind makes up a story that fits my observations and says "I know that person." But my mind is likely wrong and that story is likely wrong. Each person here has a rich and colorful history and life story. I do them such a disservice by assuming I can "know" them by observation only.
My takeaway for myself? Be curious. Ask questions. Listen. Learn.
You are right -- if you want to know Americans in Fly-over Country, visit a truck stop! Always upbeat, hussel & bustle . . . yet with difinitive destinations and focus of purpose. Plus, I think few things top a $12-truck stop shower!