The Door...

I have lived in this house for twelve and a half years.  It has a lot of wear and tear and a lot of stories to tell (or keep secret, as houses are known to do).  Today I want to show you something in particular, though.  It is something I walk by at least 10 times a day, if not more.  It is this door:

From almost the time we moved in until this day... today... this door has had a poster on it.  It was a black, white and green poster... of an alien head, with gigantic words on it:  "Keep Out".  Yeah, it looked like this:

So, I have to admit... the first few years (years?) this poster made me angry.  It really bothered me.  It probably didn't help that I had an alien head staring into my bedroom, as this door, and this poster, faces my bedroom doorway.  It didn't keep me out, though, even though this door was almost always closed.

A few years ago, an additional piece also became attached to the poster on this door.  A cardboard image of a ghost.  It was placed there one Halloween, and there it stayed.

This door is the entryway to my son's bedroom.  He has lived part-time in this room for 7 years and full-time for 5 years. 

He is moving out to his own apartment this week.  Tomorrow.

He took the poster off his door today. 

The door looks bare... empty... lonely.

It looks sad.

I never thought I'd miss that poster.  But maybe it's just a preview of missing my son.

Major life changes.  Never easy.  I am full of so many emotions surrounding his move.  Excitement, nervousness, relief, happiness, sadness... just a jumble.

Pretty soon, this door will nearly always be open.  Open into a gaping maw of empty room.   So much potential.  For the room... and for my son's new adventure in life.

(sigh)