Opening Doors

The door to my backyard shed is heavy. It’s exposed to the sun, and the wood from which it’s made is weathered and slightly contorted. In order to open it, it requires a little finessing, and some experience.

I’ve got to use my hip a little and lift the weight of the door in order for it to reveal its treasures. But it’s worth it; what lies inside is the key to my vision.

In recent years, it would appear as though the art of opening a door has been lost.

You can push a button on your key fob and the tailgate of your minivan will open-up. You can step in front of a motion sensor and the grocery store door will invite you inside. Even those famous subway turnstiles have recently been replaced with automatic doors that fan open after inserting your ride card. It’s hard to find a door to open yourself these days.

Even worse, as we follow the arrows and the crowds in the airport or at the stadium, we’re ushered towards the most common doors. Our attention is diverted from the little side doors that lead to hidden crevices, secret passageways, and unforeseen possibilities.

In nearly everything you do, there are doorways to interesting places and possibilities. This includes conversations. Following the arrows to the nearest exit is the best way to maintain a routine conversation, discuss the same things you always do, and then get the same results. But what if you looked for some secret doors? What if you asked your fellow conversationalists if they know of any hidden doors? I’ll bet the answers would amaze you.

If you want to find a hidden cenote (a natural sinkhole, of which there are many in the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico), just ask a local. If you don’t ask, nothing will happen. You likely won’t find one yourself and you’ll continue-on with your day. But if you want to bathe in the natural groundwater, surrounded by the beauty of a limestone cavern, then just ask. People will be all too happy to help you. And then you’ll have found a door to a secret paradise (sorry - paraíso). 

The hidden doors that require a little effort to open are gateways to the unknown. Do you know what it feels like to close a million-dollar sale? If you don’t, then you’ve never been through that door, have you? Do you know what it feels like to drive a Bugatti? If you don't, you haven’t opened that door yet either. You, my friend, are going to have to develop your door opening skills if you want to taste new experiences, go to the next level, or travel to a new destination.

If you’ve never opened my shed door, you’d probably think that it’s locked upon giving it a try. But you might be amazed to discover that the door was and is unlocked at all times. If you asked me how to open it, I’d share its little secrets, but you’d still have to figure it out for yourself by giving it a try. After a little practice, you’d know exactly how much force it requires to open the door. You’d be able to do it again. 

Examine people that have gone through doors that have eluded you. Ask yourself how they open those doors; where they’re located; how difficult they are to find. Observe and ask questions. Soon, you’ll know where to find and how to open doors that lead to new places, where new results live. After a bit of practice, you’ll have developed a knack for finding doors. In places you least expect, they’ll appear. “Ah - there it is!” you’ll say. When everyone is following the crowd to the prescribed exit, you’ll see something that only a few will see. It’ll amaze you just how visible that door is; and yet, people will just pass it by. But you won’t. You’ll blow the dust off of the handle, turn the knob, lean into it with your shoulder, and discover that the key to your vision is also located on the other side of the door’s threshold.

Open the door...

And let’s keep making beautiful noise together.

Alex