When One Door Closes, A Window Opens...

The original quote, which is attributed to Alexander Graham Bell, is as follows:

“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

(As an aside, let me take a moment to thank Dr. Bell for inventing the ancestor of the mobular phone.)

Door/window, door/door, opened, closed, with/without God, whatever. The general gist is the same...and the central theme of my life. And let me tell you, I have had some doors slammed so hard in my face...that I have been shaken to my very core. And yes...I am guilty of wasting time with regrets and resentment. Hey, I am Jewish...guilt is in my genes. :-)

I have come to realize that these doors and windows, for better or for worse, have played a major role in my life's journey. I'm not entirely sure if things happen by pure coincidence...or fate, but I do know that the person I am today is a direct result of those openings and closings. Our relationships all serve some sort of purpose...even if it's just to get us to the next relationship...or the next step on our life's journey. Who could have predicted that a short trip to San Diego, for a totally unrelated reason, would lead me to a career choice that would change my outlook on life? So I keep assuring myself that everything happens for a reason. My head knows this, and maybe if I keep spewing rhetoric, I might actually take it to heart as well.

Although I can't help but have some regrets about certain friends with whom I no longer communicate, I also know that some of my current relationships are a direct result of some relationships lost. For THAT I am very thankful...because I cannot imagine not having certain people in my life. I suppose you could say that our relationships are like theatrical performances...some close prematurely, some are limited engagements,  and some are like CATS...“Now and Forever.” Good or bad, most of them leave an indelible impression, and ALL of them affect us...if even in the tiniest of ways.

As birthdays and anniversaries of events come and go, I am still struggling with this regret thing...but it is getting easier as time passes. My head is in the present and future...and my heart is beginning to follow suit. For the first time, in a long time, I am positive and optimistic about what lies ahead. As someone, once very near and dear to me, said at the beginning of our wonderfully strange relationship, "the serendipity window is open...feel free to climb through." Although I was terrified, I did climb through THAT window...and I am VERY thankful that I took that leap of faith. And although THAT relationship has morphed into something different, THAT door closing led me to the love of my life.  Methinks it's time to look forward...and do the same with future windows.