Doorways

by | Apr 12, 2018 | Sowing Seeds Of Faith | 0 comments

While sorting through some family photos, I came across this beautiful picture of a courtyard bedecked in flowers.  The picture came with an assignment from a women’s retreat I attended.  The task was to find a picture that spoke to us and meditate on why.

It certainly had all the elements of things that I love – stone, natural wood, and flowers, but I had to laugh inside because it reminded me, too,  that I’ve always had a strange fascination with photographing doors.

My meditation revealed that my fascination lies more in the intrigue I find in their placement and position and the mystery that lies behind them.  Why are they there?  What purpose do they serve?  Is the space warm and cozy radiating a welcoming light or does it feel empty and dark?

 

 

 

 

While walking the narrow streets of Italy, we encountered hundreds of doorways tucked within its winding paths.  It was like a grown-up maze weaving in and out and up and under, at times leaving us to wonder if we’d ever find our way out.

 

Some doors were found wide open,

 

 

 

                                                               Some just a crack.

 

 

 

 

 

There were doors painted bright colors, giving a cheerful and inviting feeling to its surroundings.

I especially like doors that were tattered and torn from their years of use or neglect; leaving me to wonder about their rich history.

 

 

 

 

Each door has a story to tell. The intimacy of neighborhoods where children run freely from one door to the next safely watched over by the neighborhood elder keeping watch on the nearby stoop or from the balconies above.

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve encountered passageways that looked enticing at first glance but proved to be an endless uphill climb or a dead end altogether. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We encounter many doorways in our lifetime and there is so much we can learn from their symbolism.

 

 

 

 

 

Doors can provide us with a view that beckons us to new beginnings, filling us with excitement to explore and find adventure.

 

 

 

Many are gateways that provide gentle transitions from the known to the unknown.

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes there are views that we so desperately want to explore and are tempted by their beauty, only to find out that they are not meant for us.

 

 

 

There are doors that provide security, purposely locked, to protect us from what is on the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

While others we lock ourselves, giving clear boundaries to our personal space.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are those who dare to take a chance and open their doors wide, allowing others an opportunity to enter into their lives to provide things they cannot give themselves.

 

 

 

Some give us second chances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some welcome us home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One thing is for sure, doors are the places where we enter or exit moments of our life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

God is always providing us insight to see what’s beyond our current situation or place in life.  Whether we are faced with disappointment, change, or boredom, opportunity awaits through His doorways of hope, where we can find comfort and rest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is never a reason to despair the closed doors in our lives, for we just have to look for His open window to find healing and wholeness.

“When God closes a door, He opens a window.” 

Malachi 3:10

Sowing  Sunday living in a weekday world.

I hope you enjoyed your visit here today.  If you did, please share your thoughts in the comments below or share on social media using the hashtag #gardenersto

0 Comments

Leave a Reply