Facing the Threshhold

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The door opens,
and, toes on the threshold,
I stop.
So much lies beyond,
but it is still invisible for me.
I wait.
I wonder.
It’s silly to stand here like this.
There is no turning back,
there is only forward,
regardless of what is there ahead of me
beyond the threshold.
I wouldn’t turn back if I could,
because that part of my life is over,
and every step I take forward leads me to greater happiness,
but still, walking into the darkness is hard.
I’ve walked into darkness every step of my life,
but now I walk it alone,
no safety net,
no emergency lights,
no one to push me on when the road gets bumpy.
Then it occurs to me that every step I have taken
brought me new and wonderful things,
even in the darkness,
and the joy of living my life for myself
is a treasure beyond wealth.
I’m happier now,
facing the darkness ahead,
than at any time in my life.
The unknown always seems dark and sinister,
but grasping it and holding it close
makes it familiar
and wonderful.
Sometimes the safety net
and the emergency lights
and the pushing ahead
were red herrings in my path to happiness.
Now my mistakes are my mistakes,
and my joyful successes are my own.
And the darkness beyond the threshold
cradles a new experience
that is mine alone.
And I step across the threshold into the darkness
with a smile.


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