"When one door closes, another door opens. But it's hell in the hallway."

Or as my teacher Rolf Gates says, "When one door closes, another door opens but the hallway is a bitch." Either way, one thing is for  sure...the hallway is brutal! I am so tired of being stuck in the hallway! But today I started thinking, "Who is the only person who can get me out of this hallway?" Yep, that's right, ME! While in the hallway, the door has swung open but I've slammed it shut. Instead of letting go, I've chosen to hold on and be dragged through my existence. Instead of moving forward, I've chosen to cling to the past. Instead of falling and getting back up, I've chosen to stay down. All of these things were my choices. Opportunities have come and gone but I've chosen to say, "No thanks, I'll just stay here and continue to be miserable." Thank God my friends love me because there have been times over the past few months when I really could not stand myself! Rolf also says, "It isn't important how many times you fall, what is important is how many times you pick yourself up." I truly believe that things happen in our lives for a reason. I think I've known all along that the hallway is a brutal, sad place to be. But it has taken me many months to figure out that I am the only person responsible for opening the door and stepping out of the hallway... after all, the door is not locked. Blaming others for putting me in the hallway is not going to change the way I feel about or perceive myself. I am responsible for the choices I have made and will make in the future. And right now, I think I'll choose to step out of the hallway and start walking through some of those open doors! :)