You open your eyes cautiously. Before you there are three doors which you walk around slowly, examining each one. They are merely just doors, nothing on either side; free standing doors. Yet, the thing that sets each door apart is a marking on the front. The first door to the left has a sad face with tears along its cheeks engraved into the wood. The second door has a yin and yang style symbol with a sad and a happy face. The last door has a happy face grinning ear to ear. Below each face it says, “Which door will you choose?”

The desire to open all three doors in an attempt to explore is nearly too much to bear. Upon touching the door with the sad face, your body freezes and images rush through your mind. There is sadness, but not just any sadness; this is unrelenting depression. No matter what happens in the world, you find sadness in it all. You can’t seem to change anything into a positive outlook or outcome and you can see a destined failure waiting around every corner. Relationships fail, if you can even get one started, because you’re so caught up in yourself and your own problems. You never notice anyone else’s problems even when they are seemingly worse than yours. You’re on the path of self destruction and death with no hopes of climbing out of the hole you’ve created for yourself. Bodies start falling all around you, immersing you more in your own pit of hell. You’re handed a knife. Shall you use it to escape?

Both shocked and ashamed of the images you just witnessed, you decide to head to the third door with the happy face. After all, why not simply live happily ever after. Right? This time you’re greeted with images of bright, colorful trees lining a peaceful road with identical houses along both sides. Everyone’s talking and smiling while carrying on with their perfect days. Everyone has children who are well behaved saying “Yes, Mother.” and “Yes, Father” while doing their chores without question. The world’s nations are at peace, and no weapons are to be found. You are able to walk dark streets at night with no fears because there are no evil people walking them with you. There is never any painful death or tragic accident; everyone dies of old age in their sleep. This world seems more deluded than the first and if you were to wish for such a world, please feel free to take the sticker that says “I’m a delusional person”. Mind you, this world would be grand but the boredom would kill you.

Stunned by the perfection of the third door, you turn your focus to the middle door, door number two. It is said that humanity is of a complex nature. We’re confrontational yet compassionate all within minutes, even seconds, of each emotion. We withstand abuse, emotion distress, and utter torture because of different emotions at different times. Sometimes we’re unable to let go of things because we’re comfortable in that pain, and we’re more afraid to take a chance. Even though we’re so complex, we’re also very simple to understand. Almost every human being wants the same things: to be happy, loved, and successful. It’s only until you complicate those principles that you’re confronted with different levels of each desire. The door with both a happy face and sad face is a door behind which you can meet your demons head on, and know there is happiness behind each quarrel. There can be balance if you strive for it and never give up on yourself, others, or this world.

Which of the three doors would you choose? There’s always someone going through something worse then you are and there is never a perfect life. If there is a death, learn how to overcome the pain and celebrate your memory of that person. If there is a rough point in your life, simply laugh it off and wait for the fun to begin once again. Will you learn how to make the most out of what you’re dealt, or will you dwell on the pain and negativity until it eats away at your very being?

Just like each character, we all have countless choices with endless outcomes. It is how we handle each obstacle in life that defines our personalities, and shows the world who we are.

It’s all in your hands now; grab a handle, twist and open the door. Beware! Be cautious because, once you’ve opened one of these doors, there is no turning back, no second chances. You must go through the door.

This will now be your life…