The Dawn Will Come…

I had a discussion with a friend recently about some choices they were making. We talked about lots of options, then they said, “I just don’t know when it might happen.” And that statement made me think of these words from Emily Dickinson:

Not knowing when the dawn will come,
I open every door.

– Emily Dickinson 1886

Life changes in an instant. One decision can have a cascading impact, while another one may seem to take years to manifest into something real. I love Emily Dickinson’s attitude, never giving up, staying vigilant in doing the work which means opening every door. Let’s face it, no matter how much we plan, prepare or even double check every task needed to get the job done, life has a way of throwing a curve ball just when we didn’t want it.

It takes courage to keep opening doors. It takes energy that may not be there after 6pm when you get home from work, or even after you have finally finished all the laundry. Being willing to open yet another door to see what might happen, if what you want is there, maybe this time things will change…whew! That can feel like a lot especially on a Wednesday.

So what gives us the courage to keep opening doors? I thought about that for a long time and realized it wasn’t gumption, or courage, being an extrovert, or even being organized. Taking the chance to open yet another door to see if the dawn has come takes hope. Pure and simple. HOPE, which is defined as wanting something to happen and believing that it is possible. The cornerstone of hope is believing in possibilities. Even when the last door was dark, the last opportunity did not manifest, or even after the last person you loved let you down. HOPE gives us the courage to try one more time, believing that anything is possible. People change, new opportunities comes, and there is light out there waiting for us to find it.

So today as you face having to open yet another door, muster your hope and grab that door knob with the belief that what you want is possible. And if you find the light you wanted, do whatever it takes to keep it burning. And if you find nothing, fear not. Tomorrow is another day with an entirely new door for you to open. Life isn’t about only opening the doors where we know what is behind it. Really living is about opening all the doors all the time to see what’s there and to grab it with gusto. Nothing is worse than leaving a door unopened and living with regret. The dawn will come, you just need to open the door!