The difference between a door and a window is simply the purpose. Doors are meant to be passed through. They often represent the departure or the entrance to another space.
A window on the other hand offers a glimpse into that space without having to enter into it. I wonder though, if we could recognize that our past experiences are not something we need to forget because they offer us the ability to use the CHOICE, we have to revisit it.
I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had in my life- even those that have been unpleasant or very difficult because they’ve helped shape my perspective.
Rather than asking questions like “What if I had or had not experienced the hardships” etc., I find myself opening the glass door in crucial moments for reference, reflection, and as a reminder.
Reference
Visiting past experiences as a point of reference is necessary for so many reasons, but most importantly it helps me to check the narrative that I have in my head against the truth. It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment that I quickly forget the very idea that my brain may be “misremembering”.
It’s true. Depending on the state of our health, stress, and overall emotional intelligence, our brain could be responding to data that is no longer relevant.
Reflection
Choosing to go through the glass door allows me to reflect on my life, my circumstances, and my heart posture. I can choose to reflect on these previous times in my life as a way of recognizing progress, not perfection. It’s incredibly easy to avoid the past all together, but the truth is that our brain isn’t actually avoiding anything except discomfort.
Between our hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, we may be receiving alarm bells for situations that “appear” dangerous but were actually misinterpreted.
Reminder
Our past often serves as a reminder for each of us that we aren’t where we once were even though we may find ourselves not quite where we want to be.
For me, it’s served as a reminder of the resilience I have, the grace I’ve been given, and the amazing community of people I’m connected to who have been kind, loving, and crucial to my present moment.
Whatever you do, I hope that you are brave enough to walk through the door instead of standing at the window. Challenge the thoughts you have but be sure to challenge them. Challenge them with the experiences of your past AND your present to ensure that you are not peeking through a window instead of purposely passing through the glass door.
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