Bit of Happy #18: The Door To My Heart

Chicago from the Willis Tower

“You have come into my life through a door I was afraid would never be opened again for many have slammed it on their way out. Feel free to stay as long as you like, but should the time come that you must leave, please close the door gently as you go.”
-Javan

At one point or another, everyone has experienced heart break. Whether from a relationship, family member or friend, someone has slammed the door on your heart. Unfortunately, it is a part of life. A part that many of us would say we could certainly do without. But along with heartbreak, strength later follows. Or at least, I like to think so.

As much as you want to bolt, board and nail the door to your heart closed after experiencing love and loss, you would be letting ‘lonely’ win. And the only place ‘lonely’ gets you is alone. I know it’s difficult to open up your door, your heart to someone new. Trust me, I get it. And I’m not going around saying to open your heart to anyone. But when you find a nice person, when you get to know them for who they are – their values, beliefs, personality – and you can see that they are a good person inside out, what are you waiting for?

And when you find the strength to let someone cross your threshold, find the courage to offer him or her to sit down and stay a while. I promise you won’t regret it. You must take a chance to be happy. Without risk, the reward will be minimal. Without risk, you will never truly appreciate or understand the meaning of the company of another, or whatever it is you are taking a leap of faith for. And even if one day they decide to pick up their things and leave through the door they once entered, you won’t be right back before you started. Actually, you might be worse off. (I’M KIDDING!!!!!!) But in all seriousness, it might seem like you are worse off in the beginning. Especially if you felt closer to that person than you’ve ever felt with anyone before. In the beginning, it hurts. In the beginning, it’s not easy. I’m not going to put whipped cream and a cherry on top of this one. Break ups are never something that can be covered up or smoothed over.

But what you can choose to do is learn from it. Grow stronger from it. Pick yourself back up and keep living your life as full as possible. Look back at the risk you took and be proud of it. Be proud that you refused to allow your past to impede on your happiness in the future. And live on by that very sentence. If the entire world promised to live out their life, not through their past experiences, but through embracing the bright, unknown of the future, I think there’d be a lot more happier people in the world. Life is what you make it. Change what is negative in your life, and optimism shall follow.

What did you find to be inspirational enough to try love again after a difficult heart break?