Does another door really open?

“When one door closes another one opens” most of us have heard that saying before and most of us have probably used it.

It’s meaning is simple, if one thing you do fails or comes to an end, you will soon have an opportunity to try something else. This expression is often used to encourage someone to keep trying after they have had a disappointment or failure.

Lately. I find myself reflecting on this statement often.  As we all seek and research options on what to do with the Canadian Red Cross aquatic announcement, the biggest question I am pondering as I reflect is …does this saying hold true?

Every month that passes in 2022 feels like I am watching that door slowly close and the light that once shone bright in the room dims a little more.  I keep trying to find the new door that I am supposed to be eager to swing open, but so far, it’s been incredibly challenging to locate.

I was curious about the saying and looked up its origins…. I wasn’t sure what I was actually seeking but for whatever reason I googled it… and found out that it was written by Alexander Graham Bell.  Here is the quote:

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us. Defeat is nothing but education; it is the first step towards something better.”

Whoa….  Seriously? whoa…

Like a slap in the face this quote was making me sting with a little bit of embarrassment. It was the tough love statement I think I needed.  I have been doing exactly what Mr. Bell had warned people they would do.  I was focusing so hard on the door that was closing that I couldn’t see anything else.  I’m not even sure that I am ready to turn my attention away from this beautiful, familiar RED door that I have often seen as a metaphor of comfort like the front door that greets you when coming home. 

How do I stop focusing so hard on the closing door and start seeing the potential that a new opportunity could bring?

This is likely the spot in the blog where you are thinking: this is where she’s going to give me a  stream of tips and techniques on how to get into a better headspace. The truth is …I’m not there yet.  I don’t have words of wisdom; I am still blindly trying to find my way. 

So far there are only two things that are helping me make progress:

1. Friends who I share this experience with; and
2. the Research, that will eventually help us make a decision

I guess I should celebrate that there are doors slowly appearing and that i can see the start of future possibilities. Hhhmmm… maybe that’s a small positive change that I should not downplay as nothing?  Having a selection of doors to pick from could be a good thing.

I guess the quote is 100% true, but only if you allow it to be.  Next steps for me? Take a deep breathe as I watch the door in front of me close but now I will take action and start to turn towards and really see those other doors and the opportunities they represent.  This may be a slower process than I might have thought it would be, but I will get there.