The Three Doors – Which Door Would You Choose? If Any?
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
Kerstin,
I just wanted to mention that I am so proud of you for the person you have become. Perfect grades while being in a very tough IB program is certainly something you can be very proud of in yourself. Having an understanding of how you need to make choices in life as you wrote in this post is a wonderful thing for a person of your age. Your Mom and I are very very proud of you and all you have accomplished in 15 years.
Always Go For It!
Love, Daddy
Thank you Daddy! I LOVE YOU! I want to thank you for all the love and support you and Mom have given me throughout my life. You are always there for me and it means so much to know you want us to be the best we can be. If I don’t tell you, this got me crying plenty so don’t spring such comments on me. I appreciate everything you have done and are doing to make our lives so special. I’m thankful everyday to have parents as loving, inspiring, encouraging, and amazing as you and Mom.
Thank you so much,
Love, Kerstin
Wow, this is awesome!! Yes, Dave you have a lot to be proud of here. There is much wisdom in this 15 year old body and mind. Some of us wait YEARS for this to sink in.
Kerstin, I applaud you, and I applaud your parents for raising you with the kind of core values that it takes to be this perceptive at such a young age!
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Thank you Debbie. I appreciate your comment. I also believe that my parents are great mentors and I believe we are lucky to have them. Thank you for the compliments. I know you will find the Door of Happiness if it hasn’t found you already. Thanks ~Kerstin
Kerstin, I have to say that I love the fact that you already “get it” so many young people don’t. The older we get, we tend to let fear grip us and keep us stagnant. I am pretty confident that you will not fall into this category. I was completely caught up in this story and when I got to the bottom and found out such a young person had written it, I was beyond impressed. Your advice is something that many of us in your parents generation need to take to heart. Great job and wonderful advice. I think this fellow chose the door of misfortune even without ever turning the knob. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Kellie! I really appreciate your comment. This was originally going to be a poem of mine, but my parents believe I’m a good writer and asked me to post this idea for them. It makes me happy to know it may influence others’ lives as well. I know the Door of Happiness will open for you if it hasn’t already. Thanks ~Kerstin
I had a chance to see 3 Doors Down at the State fair a few years ago and they put on a fantastic show… this was right after Hurricane Katrina had hit and they did a fantastic rendition of “Here By Me.”
Wow Kerstin,
What a beautifully written post. I have no doubt that you will be successful in whatever you choose to do with your life and your Mom and Dad have a right to be so proud of you.
Stay true to your passion and never give up on your dreams,
Beth
p.s. have a great easter
Wow Kerstin! That was fabulous! And very thought provoking as well! I’m so impressed! You’ve learned something at 15 that many people don’t learn in a lifetime! Doing nothing is a decision too!
I think that's a lovely way of putting across something which so many of us struggle with from time to time. Kerstin's right though. We decide. An uplifting start to the day. Thanks! Regards, andrew
Thanks Andrew! We're happy you liked Kerstin's post. She does have a unique way of making a point. We hope she will write another post soon.
We decide because we have the wonderful ability to chose. It's essential to know the power of that right and to use it to our advantage! I can see you use your power to create your success. Keep it up!
Dawn and Dave
Very interesting post. I think too often people don't take risks because they don't know the outcome. I think the only way to get anywhere in life it to go after your dreams even if you are not sure the final result. When you are going afrter what you want you are so much happier.
Oh wow Dave and Dawn,
What a powerful lesson illustrating an option that far too many take – to sit in that room of fear.
I believe that we can choose what is ‘behind the door’
Well done Kerstin – you rock!
Kindest regards,
Emma
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D&D,
Great story, and so true! Only we can choose our path and only we can decide how to interpret our experiences. It’s like that story of heaven and hell with the long spoons. We don’t have a lot of external control, yet we can control our own interpretations of experiences.
Thanks for sharing,
Adam
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A great example of how people can become paralyzed by fear of the unknown. Isn’t it more fun to live life to the fullest . . . as it should be lived?
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A truly thought provoking story coming from a 15 year old.
Kerstin,
Your wisdom displayed here, is beyond your life experiences. This reflects being around empowering people that instill love and give edification each step in your journey of a prosperous life. Your environment must be one of passion and energy. Enriched with no limitations, and visualization as a skill which must be mastered.
This is an amazing post with content that can be utilize through a lifetime. Choices are there and you must be the one to choose. Make an effort to manage happiness and have a giving attitude. The rest will come with a calmness, that can’t be misunderstood.
Kerstin, your character shows with every point made here. This is a wonderful post, and I look forward in hearing more from the life and mind of Kerstin. Well done!
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Kerstin,
This is an awesome post. I can’t believe you are only 15. So much knowledge at such a young age.
Although, my parents are great they didn’t encourage me to live my dreams, but they were old school. They believed…get a job, marry and make sure you can pay the bills.
I look forward to reading more from you.
Jaden
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Hi Kerstin,
This is a great blog post and it is great that you are enjoying using the internet. I have no doubt your family and friends are very proud of you. You are a great example of what is possible even to people that are a lot older. I also really like the advice and content of your article and have sent a tweet for you. All the best Rosemary
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Your story is a great way to demonstrate the inertia a lot of people seem to be suffering when it comes to facing the unknown.
We tend to prefer to stay in our not so comfortable comfortzone rather than take the risk.
We make a decision by not making a decision.
There are no wrong decisions anyway.
I would probably add another door, the one that leads to joy, which is not dependant on circumstances like happiness but on our own attitude, choices of thoughts which turn into beliefs.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
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I kind of thought that might be how the story would end. I like to think that it doesn’t matter what door you open, just boldly walk through any door and MAKE it become the door of your dreams. And also….it seems to me that most success stories all start out with a story of struggle. All good things are worth fighting for!
Tom