Doors

        The world has four seasons of the year: Fall, winter, spring, and summer. Here in Utah it's a little different. We do have four seasons but it goes something like this: Almost winter, winter, still winter, and construction.

        I want to tell you a story from last almost winter. It was a beautiful day and I was at the park relaxing after a long day of hard classes. I sat on a bench and watched the other students enjoying their last few minutes of sunshine that day. A group was playing ultimate Frisbee. There were two couples on picnic blankets. One had a child, and the other did not. A few yards from me there was a student talking on the phone, and it looked like it wasn't the most pleasant of conversations by the look on his face. Over on the sidewalk there was a guy on a skateboard being pulled along by his dog.

        I wasn't thinking about these people. I was just noticing them. They were merely part of the scenery. My mind was on other things. You know those things:

        How am I going to finish this paper on time? I haven't even started and I don't know what to write it on.

        Am I in the right major? Is this really what I want to do with the rest of my life?

        Gah! I have so much do do today! Why am I sitting in the park? I have homework to do, I need to eat before my shift tonight, and I desperately need to do laundry!

        I wonder if she likes me. The date went well but I haven't heard from her in a few days. Does that mean something? I have no idea what I'm doing.

        I wonder if I...

        What's best for me....

        What should I.....

        Me...

        Me......

        Me.

        I had a headache. So much to think about. All I wanted to do was enjoy a few minutes of peace at the park. My brain wouldn't even let me do that. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. When I opened them again, something interesting happened.

        I noticed the scenery people. One by one, they started coming out of the background and became alive. As I began to watch them, I started to wonder what they were thinking about. How long had the group of frisbee players known each other. How did they meet? I wonder if they all are from different places and met here at college. What about the couple with the kid? Did the father worry about providing for his family? How did he meet his wife? Was the guy on the phone having an argument with a parent? Girlfriend? Boss perhaps? What other things did he think about? What was his childhood like?

        A funny little image came to my mind. Each of the former-scenery people turned into a closed door. If I were to open one of these doors, I would enter into a whole new world.

        Their world.

        No two doors lead to the same place. Ever. Even if they belong to twins. Each world is filled with unique scenery, memories, struggles, hopes, dreams, and people.

        With each door I imagined opening, my own world seemed a little smaller. My problems less significant. My day to day worries seemed trivial compared to what other people could be going through.

        Go outside. Get some fresh air. Leave your own world for a little while and go visit someone else's.

        Just remember to knock first.