We go in and out of doors all the time and probably barely think about them. But some doors are more important and signify bigger life events. Do you feel anything in your chest or gut when you walk through the doors of a hospital? Do you feel nervous or excited when you walk through the doors of a school? Your body remembers things about those places, and the doors hold the key to those memories.
Doors have always fascinated me. The way we, as humans, have created different ways of entering and exited our homes and other structures. How our doors can represent who we are, reflect our personalities. Doors aren’t just about function. They keep unwanted people out and hold us safely inside. They protect our space and things from others and weather and nature. They also allow us to welcome others in.
But the doors we walk through also represent who we are and the transitions in our lives. Do you ever feel the impact of the last time you walk through a certain door? When you move out of a house or leave a job. When you graduate from high school or university. When you end a relationship. In those moments, that door is a passage away from something, for better or worse, by choice or by circumstance, but probably at least something familiar. But with every door out there is also a door into something new. The first time through a door has its own feeling of excitement, nerves, unknown.
When we go through a door for the first time, into a new job, or a new home, or a new experience, we may have hopes for the impact of that door on our lives. We may wish for exciting changes or a needed sense of safety. We may even be counting on that door to lead us to huge life changes. The door to a new school may hold the promise of learning and exploration and new friends. The door to an emergency room may hold the expectation of saving a life. That is a lot of responsibility for a slab on hinges (or glass on a track)!
Of course, sometimes a door is just a door. Maybe when it’s cold outside, you will go through any door, the first available door, to get inside, out of the elements. Maybe when its lunch time and you skipped breakfast, you will go through any door that will lead you to something to eat. What about when the door you try to open is locked? You try the next door. No big deal. We go through doors hundreds of times every day (really, count them!) and most we don’t even think about. I think I will challenge myself to pay more attention to those doors, and consider their impact on my life.