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Show OPEN THE DOOR By RUTH TAYLOR "The door to the human heart can be opened only from the inside." I found that sentence tucked away at the bottom of the page of the magazine I was reading on the train. I tore it out and tucked it away for safekeeping for through that doorway I could see so many vistas. The doorway to the human heart I think it is like one of those fascinating glass doors that swing open as you pass the hidden light. I think that only from the depths of our own desire de-sire to understand, desire to think selflessly, can we meet in perfect communion the minds of others. If we go up to them with preconceived pre-conceived prejudices, with instinctive in-stinctive dislike, we will not pass the light. The door will not open and no outer key will unlock it. But if in a warmth of spirit, in a feeling of friendliness and with a warm and understanding heart, we approach our neighbor, the door will spring wide open. It is next to impossible to hate a person we know. The wells of understanding are too deep and forgiving. If we really love life, and laughter, fair play and good fellowship, fel-lowship, we will have no room for prejudice or cruelty. There will be no space left for misunderstanding. mis-understanding. If we really want r,tv,o,-e wTist wp want for our- selves happiness and an opportunity op-portunity to grow, we will face the adventure that is life in a spirit of friendliness for our neighbor. Because we have opened open-ed our hearts, our neighbor's heart will be opened unto us. Just imagine what a world this would be if we could bring our- selves to stop distrusting our neighbor. And just imagine what it would be like if he felt complete com-plete trust in us? Utopian? Yes but is it more impossible than the things that have already come to pass in the world? Understanding of our neighbor's needs, awareness of his problems, self-restraint against misjudging or generalizing about him, willingness wil-lingness to work with him and above all and through all the spirit of friendliness, that is the secret ray which will open the door of any heart. |