I’ve slightly alarmed myself with the image at the top of this post… However, the starkness of it seems appropriate.
How many of you have had doors slammed in your faces?
Physical or metaphorical, they both hurt. Many of us have, on various occasions, opened ourselves up to a person, or a community, and offered our selves and our stories as a gift in that relationship. We have shared experiences, or memories, that are deeply ‘of us’ and have hoped for a positive response to our offering.
Instead the door has slammed.
If this happens repeatedly we may decide to cease making these offerings of self, to close up our own doors, and retreat. Perhaps we find it increasingly difficult to approach those who even resemble, in background, social status, or religion, those who have closed doors on us in the past.
But however natural a reaction this is, however understandable, protecting ourselves from closing doors risks protecting ourselves from open ones too.
Each offering we make is a risk, and where there is a particular wound caused by the slamming of rejection, we are necessarily cautious. But the offering is the key to meeting open hearts, also. And each open heart we meet goes some way to salving the wounds from previous hurts. Where some doors slam, some offer a welcome mat.
Photo by Pezibear, www.pixabay.com
If your story resounds with the sound of slamming doors, and you would like to explore your story, your offering, in a safe, and welcoming place, contact me at rachelcason@explorelifestory.com. I’d love to hear your story, and I’ll be rolling out the welcome mat!
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