The Narrow Door

green door - photo by Skyler Smith on Unsplash

I love the narrow door—You know, the one at the school
Where parents and children cram in
At the beginning of the day at Saint Paul,
Rushing to beat the bell.

They are happy or tired or stressed,
But always will smile and thank you
For holding the door open
So they can rush by before the classes and go up to their rooms.

Elsewhere the doors are Wide and Efficient
and have solar-powered automatic openings
for easy ingress and egress.
There are no traffic jams in these doors,
No chance to perform an act of love.

I love the narrow door.

Photo by Skyler Smith on Unsplash.

11 COMMENTS

  1. Thanks Tim. Narrow door, narrow table, narrow road – bring people together in camaraderie and friendship.

  2. I love the imagery of simple things which get you thinking so much… AHs anybody got a poem on doing things in a simpler way so that we enjoy doing our work ??

  3. The narrow doors of life are what make the journey exciting! We never know who Jesus may invite to cross our doorways, but like that famous painting, most often the knob is just on one side. Will we open the door for a stranger? A friend? A stranger who may become a friend?

  4. Reminds me of the smile given when I stop my car for the pedestrian, standing at the corner, waiting to step into the crosswalk!
    Little acts of thoughtfulness go a long way. Thank you for the reminder.

    • Suzanne we need you in my town. I finally took to carrying a cell phone so I can snap photos of people (usually octogenarian drivers) who want to drive over me when I am halfway across. Then they give us a toothy grin. Thank you for stopping (that is the law here although read the above sentence) . You just let someone live a bit longer.

      • Thank you Linda,
        A few years back when I was visiting Long Beach, CA I noticed how MOST of the drivers stopped for me BEFORE I entered the crosswalk! That left a lasting impression and I try to repeat their small acts of kindness and attention to safety! Too many careless accidents in my town, also.

  5. I love your poem and it has inspired me to ponder the wonder of ordinary, everyday ‘doings.’ Something as simple as going through a door offers an opportunity to be both giver and recipient of gift. WOW!!!

  6. I am reminded of my journey to Nazareth, where I had to bend and stoop to make my way through the “door of humility.” One by one, we could enter or exit, well aware of one another.
    You help me consider what is lost in the whoosh of the revolving door and the wide portal. Lovely.

  7. Life is about relationships – even brief encounters which are possible at the narrow door but not so much at the wide door. In our society which is full of wide doors, we need to look for opportunities to perform acts of love even if we just greet one another as we go through the wide door. Thank you for this poem.

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