“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” Luke 11:9-10

I love taking pictures of doors. Old doors, beautifully painted doors. Crumbling paint and all. This blue door is a favorite of mine. It’s hidden on the wrong side of the downtown railroad tracks on the back of an old warehouse building. The colors are simple but stunning, though I doubt anyone had that in mind all those years ago when the last coat of paint was applied.

Maybe it’s the patina of time that has me intrigued with this door. There’s just something about proof of years passing that intrigues me. Or maybe it’s those long sturdy latches that prove the place was built to last–something often lacking in modern construction.

Much as I love to photograph doors or just admire them, I rarely stop to think of what might be waiting on the other side. Life is like that. I take pictures. I write books. I live my life, recognize most of my blessings, and even remember to thank the One who provided those things most of the time.

I rarely consider that each passing day, each footstep forward on the journey of life leads to a door. A beautiful door that has opened and closed for an eternity and yet shows no evidence of age or marks of time passing.

Today I’m acutely aware of this door as I think of a dear friend who escorted her husband to the threshold then bid him a temporary good-bye. To this friend, I say: Rest your palm on the latch, your forehead on the weathered wood, but do not forget what is on the other side. Know those of us who love you gather at the door with you. And we pray.