In celebration of my birthday today, (I’m 53 years young) I thought I would write a post about an on-going life lesson, which I keep having to learn and re-learn again, which is: When one door closes, another is waiting to open.

This is an on-going lesson for me, because it doesn’t matter how many times I’m confronted with this, it never seems to get fully integrated into my system.

Even at 53 and with a lifetime’s experience of doors closing and opening, it still jars when a door closes.

At some point in our lives we all experience the metaphorical closing of doors don’t we? When we for example lose our jobs, get gazumped when trying to buy your dream house or when a partner dumps us.

The challenge we face when this happens, is to not spend too much time lamenting about the door that’s just closed, because this hampers our ability to see all the potential new doors that are opening for us.

Which could mean we miss out on a bigger, cheaper house, a better paying job or the love of our lives.

When Doors Close

The symbolic door that closed for me last week was my job.

I lost my job a week ago, or shall I say, my contract wasn’t renewed.

On receiving this news, my immediate reaction was anger, disbelief and disappointment, but at the same time, I felt excitement and relief.

My anger made me argue and question why I wouldn’t be continuing and I defended myself by pointing out that during my 15 months of work, I hadn’t had a single day off sick, diligently working every shift assigned to me.

I was the so-called model employee, so I felt cheated, mistreated and couldn’t understand why I wasn’t having my contract renewed.

The Inner Story

Sounds like I was terribly treated doesn’t it? However this isn’t the whole story.

When I think about it, I realise that losing my job triggered my deep inner insecurities, bringing up feelings of being cast aside, of not being good enough and of being unworthy.

There’s something about the experience of loss that makes us instinctively want to fight to regain whatever it is we’re losing isn’t there?  

It’s almost like the reptilian survival programme we all have, jumps into overdrive, when the fear of losing something arises.

The truth is yes, on one hand I felt shocked and scared when I was given the news, but there was also a great sense of excitement and relief, because I knew the loss of this job, would pave the way for me to write—my true joy.

But even knowing this, I still had the crazy need to fight for my position—but that’s the power of the insane ego for you.

Ego makes us fight even when we know fighting is futile or isn’t in our best interest.

I worked hard at work and I was dedicated, but my heart wasn’t really in the job. All I wanted was to do my hours, earn my wage, then come home and write.

The Universe Is Listening

Writing is what makes my heart sing, I know this and so does the universe

I believe the universe listens, hears and responds to our hearts desires, so when we’re too afraid to take the required steps towards our dreams, the universe gives us the kick we need.

So be careful what you wish for because the universe is listening!

I think this is what happened in my case.

My boss was kind and very gracious and actually for-warned me weeks in advance that I needed to apply for a permanent position, because when my temporary contract expired, there wouldn’t be a job for me in her department.

She even messaged me when new jobs were posted, encouraging me to apply.

My problem is, I only applied for 1 out of the 9 jobs posted, narrowing my chances of being permanently employed.

But I also secretly hoped I wouldn’t get a job, so I would be given a legitimate reason to focus on my writing.

We Get What We Ask For

So, is there any need for me to complain, get angry or argue? I got exactly what I wished for didn’t I?

And this is the whole point of this post.

If we’re true to ourselves and examine our inner desires, we will come to realise that we actually get exactly what we wish for. The trick is to become conscious and fully aware of what it is we’re wishing for, because this gives us the power to align our lives with our hearts desires.

This week of being at home, has already yielded fruits, with more than one positive response coming from my letters of enquires and writing job applications.

The older I get the more I realise that it doesn’t matter how old we are, how wise we think we are or how enlightened we may be, life will still throws curve those balls at us.

The only measure of how wise or enlightened we truly are, comes down to how we deal with each curve ball we experience.

Resisting the curve balls doesn’t stop them, it only makes it harder for us to learn the lessons they are trying to teach us.

So as the doors of my 52^nd year close, I wholeheartedly accept and welcome not only the doors that will inevitably close, but also all the new doors that will open in my 53^rd  year.