The first time I had the opportunity to go to Europe, I brought back lots of pictures. Everyone agreed that every other picture was great. No one liked the pictures of my finger, which is a bit of a camera hog (plus it never smiles). But what they objected to were all of the pictures of doors. “You went to Europe, and you took pictures of doors!”
I happen to like doors. So much hinges on them: they let us in from the cold and welcome us home, they hide our secrets, they keep us out and force us to find another way. In honor of 2012, the new door into our future, here are a few of those photos and what they taught me.
Sometimes you have to knock. It can be intimidating.
Sometimes a small path leads to a big door.
Sometimes the door will already be open. Go in.
Sometimes you have to go further in, to search for the right door.
Sometimes the most beautiful door is barred. It often holds dead men’s bones. You will find a better door.
Sometimes the door that looks the least promising leads you home.
Sometimes the best door is the one that leads you out.
Sometimes the door is so narrow, only the soul can squeeze through.
Sometimes you have to choose. One door leads to another, so you will probably never go back to the other one. It’s okay.
Sometimes the smaller door will get you to the same place as the bigger one.
Sometimes inside and outside the door are equally pleasant. Enjoy your wait.
May you find a welcome mat at door 2012.
year-struck 
These are beautiful photos and lovely thoughts to accompany them. Perfect! Happy New Year.
Thanks. Happy New Year to you as well.
This is a wonderful and unique New Year’s post! May the new year bring you many blessings and much joy.
Thank you. I love your photos and wish mine looked half as good. Happy New Year to you as well.
I love your images of doors from various places especially the door to 2012. Happy New Year. x
Thanks. I had to add the number. : ) Happy New Year to you as well.
What a fine, thought-provoking picture essay… I especially like the pic of the narrow narrow door — so very odd.
Thank you. The narrow one is the little door to a tomb in the Le Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris. I took lots of graveyard pictures because they so many of the tombs had beautiful doors.
Wow. There is much wisdom and creativity in your post. I love the pictures, too. Thanks for, yet another, wonderful post!
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Great shots. Creative presentation. Each caption filled with insight.
Thanks, Myra. I want to work on my photo skills this year. All the great photo blogs make me want to do better.
I LOVE doors, too, and have lots of photos of them (did you notice I had two door shots in my post with the photos of my walk? There were more, but I didn’t think anyone else appreciate my love of door photography). I also love lanterns.
Thanks for sharing!
Okay, so all the door people need to come out of the closet. My door-dar went off when I saw your pictures, but I didn’t want to presume. We need to do door-a-thons and raise money so we can go to Europe! I didn’t put it in the blog but the picture of the tomb at Le Pere Lachaise cemetery is where Jim Morrison is buried, famous as the leader of…drum roll, please…The Doors. I think that means something but I don’t have time to figure it out. Would you mind? Maybe you could do an anagram of Le Pere Lachaise. 🙂
Me? I adore them too! And I love the way you found the story in each one here. So right. It’s clear your door to 2012 is leading to great and edifying things, and inevitably, lots of laughter along the way. Couldn’t be better!
Kathryn
Another door lover! I suspect that you will encounter many open doors in 2012 that lead to a wider place for more people to enjoy your gifts.
Great and original post and toast to 2012. Cheers to you 🙂
Happy New Year – I look forward to reading your blog in this coming year.
Love those door photos! Happy New Year to you — and my new year’s tradition involves doors, so you should check this out (http://fiftyfourandahalf.com/2011/12/31/our-new-years-eve-tradition/). Yes, I know, a tacky way to end the year — but it is all about doors!
Happy New Year to you, my new friend!
Elyse, I loved your post about doors and your new year tradition. Here’s to open doors! Happy New Year.
I cannot believe that anyone would not love these photos of doors. I love them! They are fantastic. I saw so many interesting doors in Europe as well. Ireland’s colorful ones, Italy’s massive ones, England’s grand ones. I was not smart enough to take photos….I was foolish and took many too many photos of all of us. Just a few would have been enough. Take more door photos!
Thanks, Chlost. I never knew there were so many door-lovers out there. Let’s make this the year of the door. 🙂 Happy New Year.
A beautiful and very fitting post. Wishing you a wonderful new year full of love and happiness! =)
Thank you, Marie. May 2012 be full of love and happiness for you as well. Happy New Year.
These doors are beautiful and I’m really pleased you photographed and posted them.
Wishing you a Wonderful 2012! All the best.
Thank you. Happy New Year to you as well.
The pictures are awesome and so is the message that you sent! Much love to you:)
Glad you like the photos and words. Thanks so much for reading. Happy New Year.
No place does doors like Europe, which is as it should be because their buildings are so wonderful!
Isn’t that the truth. Statues and art are as common as stop signs. I would love to live there.
I love doors! I always check them out when I am out walking or if I go someplace new.
I’m feeling better and better about my interest in doors. There’s nothing strange at all about having all those door pictures on my computer!
I like doors too… and windows. I’ve collected quite a few over the time, and enjoyed looking at the ones you liked. Going through them can be a lot of fun too. Sometimes, going through the less impressive doors are the most powerful experiences… but that’s another story, well worth the telling…
I agree. A humble door may conceal a great soul. I would like to hear the story that you mentioned. I enjoy your writing.
Doors are the best! Second only to windows and pathways. You enumerated some excellent lessons from the doors as well. Thanks. Happy New Year.
I love pathways, too. Even better are pathways that lead to doors. And perhaps the best of all, a pathway that leads to a door with a window! Happy New Year to you, Patti.
There is a market for this type of photography. I’ve bought a number of really beautiful pics from a photographer who likes doors (and windows) too. https://www.dkphoto.com/index.html
Thanks for the link. Doors seem to speak to us on many levels.
doors are gateways
loved the pics
Thank you. They are gateways; there’s something both hopeful and mysterious about them.
ahaha, this is cool. love the tale of the doors… thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for reading this.
am grateful you shared this. i hope i get the chance to visit Europe before i expire and at least take pictures of fascinating doors, as you did… 🙂 cheers
I hope you get to Europe sometime,too. Sorry for the delay in responding; it was in my spam folder.