The Three Doors

There was once a man who would live his entire life in fear of every decision he made. His constant thoughts were, would this lead to happiness or sorrow? Wealth or bankruptcy? Love or loneliness? Then during another sleepless night, the man found himself in a strange dream. He sat in a square room with tall walls and just enough space to sit on the hard floor. He looked around the room to find three white doors with gleaming gold handles. There was a door on each wall except one, which the man leaned against and stared at the doors until he heard a loud, booming voice.

“I am the Door of Misfortune,” said the voice and the man jumped in fright. “Open my door and you will find a miserable life. You will be unemployed and homeless, begging for food off the street. Your family will be gone and no one will befriend you. You’ll never find a love and your dreams will be miles from reach. A life of misfortune.”

The voice echoed into nothingness and left the man feeling sick and weak. So behind one of these doors is a horrible life he thought, but which door? The voice had seemed to come from everywhere at once. There could be no way to tell which door was the Door of Misfortune. Then the voice came again and the man was quick to press his ear to each door to hear if the voice came from behind it.

“I am the Door of Mediocrity. Open my door and you will find an ordinary life. Your boring job will barely support the nice house you couldn’t afford. You will buy the necessities but no luxuries. Your family seems distant but your friends are good to you.  Your spouse will love you along with your kids, but you are never truly satisfied. A life of mediocrity.”

It was no use, thought the man because the voice came from all around. He leaned against the wall and felt trapped. Is there anyway to know which life is behind which door? To know which is the Door of Mediocrity? Which is the Door of Misfortune? Then once again, the voice echoed from everywhere and told the last door’s tale.

“I am the Door of Happiness. Open my door and you will find a wonderful life. You will rest in your mansion as money falls into your lap without effort.  Everything you could wish for you have. With family and friends that love and care for you. Love is abundant, wealth is immeasurable, and success is yours.  All your dreams will be reality. A life of happiness.”

Could it be true? The man thought, one of these doors leads to a life of dreams? But which? He stared at each door and pleaded for a sign. Would he dare open a door without knowing where it leads? No. His dream of a worry free life was too much for him to risk it. He wouldn’t be able to live with a life of misfortune or mediocrity. So he dropped his head and decided he could not open a door. So he sat forever in the Room of Fear.

Life can only be lived blindly. A door may open without you knowing it, but only you decide what is behind that door.

By: Kerstin B. Cook