Listen to thisThis is one of my favourite stories. I don't know why it came to me. It just did one time when I was preparing to speak to a group of seniors and children in grade 4 in a buddy program at a local school. It came like a gift into my head. It is now my gift to you.
The magic door
A young girl and her grandfather used to go for a walk almost every
Sunday when the weather was nice. They would go over the same
route, noticing how things changed from season to season and for year to
year. They knew every house and garden and empty lot that they passed
by.
One day, they were on their way home and the sun was just beginning to set. Suddenly, there in front of them, in the middle of an empty lot was a step with an open doorway. It was an old step and the doorway was wide open. The little girl and her grandfather stood silent for a moment as they both knew that just the week before, and never before, had this door – that had no house behind it, been along their route. Through it they could see the setting sun in all its brilliance.
The little girl wanted to go through to the other side but she was a little afraid and thought to herself: My grandfather always takes care of me so he will probably tell me it's OK or maybe he'll check it out first and then I can go through. The grandfather was also unnerved but he thought to himself: I had better see if Amy wants to explore this. She's younger – times have changed. I've heard lots of talk of empowerment. I'd best wait to see what she wants to do. Amy's curiosity was overcoming her fear. She thought more and more of going through the door but she thought to herself: I should let grandpa go through first – you're supposed to let older people go ahead. And Amy's grandad was thinking: This empowerment stuff is hard. When will she make up her mind? My curiosity is getting the better of me.
They both stood waiting for the other to make a move. As they stood there, the sun had continued it's downward movement. What they both noticed – too late, was that as the sun went out, the door went with it. Each had been so thoughtful of the other. But each had kept this caring to themselves. And the door disappeared ... and you know, they could have gone through it together.
