We take doors for granted. Doors are all around us. We open doors, close doors, lock doors, walk through doors, and even wait outside of doors. Some doors we have travelled through many times, and other doors we have yet to open and go through.
Doors range from the simple and unadorned, to the complex, grand, and majestic. If properly maintained, a door has well-oiled hinges, and opens easily. Less utilized doors may have rusty hinges, and require great effort and exertion to slowly creak open.
But doors are so much more than physical manifestations which allow for ingress and egress between different rooms or the outside world. Although they say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, doors are the portals of opportunity that feed the soul.
Long ago, travelling an unknown path to an unknown destination, I arrived at such a door. I was but a young, carefree child, full of innocence, wonder, and curiosity. The door was quite simple, yet inviting, and most importantly, unlocked. Although I had a vague notion of where the door might lead, I completely failed to recognize or understand that if I walked through this particular door, that it would slam forever shut behind me. As we know, the door of the crossdresser is a one way door – you may enter the room if you have the courage to do so, but there is no going back. You may not leave.
Obviously, I had no conception of this at the time, but walking through that door, the door of the crossdresser, forever changed my life and the path I travelled. Since that time, however, my path has taken me to many other doors. Some I have opened with great excitement, enthusiasm, and anticipation, while others I have steered clear from, unwilling to even slightly open the door and peek inside to the world beyond.
Still other doors yet, I have opened and walked through, only to find that the room on the other side lacks structural integrity, light, heat, comfort, companionship, and hope. I have long since left such rooms, and not only locked the door behind me, but bolted it shut and threw away the key. I have no desire to walk through such doors ever again, nor do I have any reason to.
Because in this, I have already walked through my own personal door of self-acceptance and love of crossdressing. And talk about a beautiful, majestic door with well-oiled, magnificent hinges! Although my door leads but only to my closet, and is locked and otherwise inaccessible to non-believers, it is a door that I travel through as often as I may. This door leads to opportunity, comfort, solace, warmth, beauty, and magic!
Before joining this forum, my door was also a hidden door, unseen by all, with the exception of my wife. Peeking out of a window, between the curtains, within my closet, though, I could see this forum in the distance. Although I was unsure of what to expect, I slowly cracked open my door, tip-toed out, and cautiously travelled to see what all of the excitement was about. What I saw here I instantly fell in love with! The opportunity for friendship and discussion among those such as I! This was yet another door of opportunity standing before me, and one for which I am grateful I walked through. But in so doing, I have unlocked my own door for you. And when you walk through my door, into my closet, I quite enjoy being the proper hostess, and sharing all that I may with you!
Having walked through the forum’s door, I have since come to recognize many things about myself that I did not know, or even previously considered. For example, walking through such simple, traditional doors of entry to a women’s clothing store, and shopping for myself, will not cause the world to end, and is an incredible experience! Walking through the door of a nail salon operator, and requesting and receiving pedicures with polish is amazing, rewarding, and personally satisfying on a level I could not comprehend before doing so.
Walking through the forum’s door, making new friends, and discussing the magic of crossdressing with fellow travellers and pilgrims has had a profound effect on me, and has led to the further evolution, development, and maturation of Anne. I could go on and on, but the thing is is that I am truly excited by the prospect of opening future doors, and seizing the opportunities that lie within.
Before joining this forum, and reading about other's experiences and thoughts, I would shy away from such doors, without a second thought, as a matter of habit. I will not and cannot walk through every door I come before now, but I will at least consider opening such doors, walking through, and checking out the room beyond. And if the feeling is right, I will do just that, and walk without hesitation through the portal of opportunity and into a new world.
Regardless, we are all on a journey, a journey which is determined in part by the doors we open, shut, close, walk through, lock, or maybe never even open. What opportunities do you see before you? Which doors have you opened, walked through, closed, or locked? Are the hinges on your door well-oiled, or creaky and rusty through neglect? Perhaps you are comfortable in the room you currently find yourself, and have no desire to travel further. I, for one, am fortunate enough to have opened and walked through the door leading to my love of crossdressing and personal self-acceptance. I hope you are equally as fortunate, or even more so, but if not, know that I will hold the door wide open for you! You have but only to walk through . . . .