When One Door Closes

We've all heard that phrase. When one door closes, another opens. What does that actually mean though?

Recently I've had the opportunity to really see this in my life, although I honestly wish I hadn't. That's because watching the door close hurts sometimes.

So I did a lil' bit of research and, fun fact, the whole quote is "When one door closes, another opens; but often we look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." -Alexander Graham Bell. Mr. Bell definitely has a point. It becomes so easy to focus on the pain of having that door shut on you that you fail to realize what good might've come of it. 

Let me share the experience I've had with this recently. 

So there's this boy I know. He's adorable and I really, really like him. Frankly, I would love to date him. But here's the problem: I thought he felt the same, but it turns out he doesn't. He just got a girlfriend a few days ago, actually (some girl I don't even know). I know, it's a bit of a silly problem, but it hurts, guys. I assume it feels something like breaking up (I wouldn't know, as I've never had a boyfriend before). But, dear friends, it's okay.

Yes, I cried when I found out. I'm a crier. I tend to cry a lot, though that's really beside the point.

Life is hitting me hard right now by slamming some pretty heavy doors in my face. It's really a terrible feeling, and when I go sit in front of those now locked doors and think about what's behind them, I get pretty sad and start to feel sorry for myself.

Here's the silver lining to this though: other doors have opened up for me all of a sudden.

Storytime. Once upon a time, I turned 16. Now I'm almost 19. And I have not been on very many dates, which is totally okay by me. I've never felt I needed a boyfriend before. But in the last three days alone, I've been asked on four different dates. That's almost as many as I went on during my junior year of high school (I'm not actually kidding here).

What the nuggets is happening.

I think this is a door opening. I think this is my Heavenly Father saying "Crin, you don't need him, and dang it you should be happy even though he's a bum!" Okay actually I doubt He would put it that way, but that's the feeling I'm getting here.

Now I don't know what all might come of this. I don't know why that door had to shut. But I do know that there is most definitely a reason :) There's always a reason. 

So I'm not too worried, honestly. I know that if I turn my back on that closed door, never looking back, and walk through one of the newly opened doors, I'll find something so much better than I ever could've imagined :) The key is leaving the old door in the past. I can't revisit it, I can't try to slide notes under the crack at the bottom or pick the lock. If I keep bringing myself back to it, I'll never be able to really explore what's beyond the many other doors that lay before me.

Anyway, I suppose this is me, turning my face toward the sun. This is my way of embracing the unknown world that lies beyond these newly unlocked doors. This is me, letting the old key to the last door slip between my fingers. I want these shadows behind me. I don't want them filling up my future with darkness. And so I'll leave them behind me, hopefully for good :)

So let's go explore all of these new doors before us :) Who knows what wonders we'll find waiting behind them, if only we'll have to courage to move on :)