You and Your Magic Doors
I remember when I approached this opening at the Denver Botanic Gardens. There was a mystical feeling in the air along with the heavy, humid fragrance of flowers and moss. The reality lived up to the promise. It was the orchid room at sunset, while they were misting the air for the night. I could almost see faeries dancing!
At the time, I was reminded of the thought by John Pearson in a wonderful book of photography and prose, in the late 1970s: “Of magic doors there is this: You do not see them, even as you are passing through.” Nine years later, the photo brings back the same thoughts and I can recall several fateful doors through which I’ve passed.
Take a few moments now and then to consider how many “magic” doors you have passed through, often at a rapid pace, sometimes more thoughtfully. Those are the doors that have taken you from one part of your life or work to the next. They are also like the door you may be approaching today or this week. Pay attention and see if you can feel or see the transition. Is that the direction you really want to go? Is this a moment you should savor?
No decision is a throw-away. No change at work is free of lingering results. You may hear the echoes of today’s judgments years from now–probably decades from now. If you have principles to guide you and a keen eye fixed on your ultimate goals, you will be much more likely to find yourself on the other side of an unseen door, looking at something even better in your life and work. That’s my wish for you and me both!
