Doors – so many metaphors

People love images of doors. A door is a metaphor for so many things.

Hope, opportunity, invitation, when open. Mystery when closed. Don’t mention having one shut in your face!

The first photo I ever sold was a door which I took in San Miguel Alliende, Mexico in 1982. The Blue Door.

Several years ago, I was beginning to show my photography in my jewelry studio, beginning my transition from jewelry to photography. One November we were having open studios. For the first time, I put out a small display of my photo notecards. 

There was a man, perhaps in his late 30’s looking through the cards. Lots of people were in and out of my studio. Mr. late-30s kept going through the cards, pondering, looking. I was quite busy with the jewelry lookers and buyers, but periodically wondering what kept him looking for so long. What choice could be that hard, that important?

Finally, he came to me with the Blue Door card in hand. He volunteered that the card was for a women who had been important in his life, but they had gone their separate ways and hadn’t been in touch for over a year. He planned to send her the card with a note saying, “The door is open”.

I’ve told that story many times through the years as people have shown interest in the Blue Door. I get goose-bumps every time.

I wish I knew how it turned out. Did they reconnect? Being a romantic at heart, I’d like to think so.

In the comment section above, I invite you to leave your own thoughts about doors and their special meaning to you – add your own door metaphors.