A Riddle

I recently read a book which would not be for everyone... It was a suspense novel, set in modern day Earth, but with an element of science fiction. But, for the first time in a long while, I had found a book that kept me awake at night - until I should have been long asleep. This is not a review of that book, but rather, just a discussion of a ‘riddle’ that was asked in the book.

In the book, a question was asked of one of the main characters. The question, or riddle, was this: “What lies behind the door that is beside the doorway into heaven?”

Stop and think about it for a little while, before you go on reading.......


A couple of quick answers might be, of course, that it is a doorway into Hades (aka the Underworld). Or just, darkness. My six year old daughter thought that maybe there are clouds behind that door (after all, heaven is in the sky, right?)

But none of these answers are quite right... At least, not what the poser of the question intended.

The real answer is not very simple. A hint might be to ask you: “How exactly do you make it to heaven? Or even, how can you find peace within yourself – the inner peace that is required for entry into heaven’s gate?”

The answer is twofold. First of all, if you open the door with a closed mind and closed heart, you will find nothing of value to you at all. So the ‘quick answers’ above might just fit. Maybe you will find darkness, or some form of Hades.

But if you open the door with an open heart, and an open mind, you will find exactly what you need. You will find other souls, searching for the same answers that you are. Only by finding others like ourselves, working with them, sharing some part of ourselves and becoming united with them in our quest, only then can we find the correct path to happiness, to inner peace, and yes, to heaven.

When I first read the answer, I didn’t think it was a very good one. I got the message – sort of. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that this is a profound statement.

It may be possible to live with a closed heart and mind, and be perfectly happy with your life. I am not one to quote the scriptures too often, so I won’t here. But the Bible does make reference to congregating with others to strengthen our faith. By uniting with others in this way, we can become strengthened in our faith, and eventually, become at peace with ourselves and God, and therefore will be able to find that elusive doorway into heaven.

From a non-biblical perspective, this riddle has many other meanings. From my own personal experience, I do not feel that I was meant to live alone. I cannot imagine a life without having someone with me to share the joys and the sadness, the trials and the triumphs. My ‘doorway to happiness’ on Earth has been the through the love of another.

For other people, there are other answers. I know one person, in particular, who is in his forties and has never been married.... as far as I know, he has never even been “in love”. But he is not alone. He gives of himself to his church and his community – even to lonely travelers broken down beside the highway. His care and love is given at every opportunity, and the blessings that are returned to him are wonderful as well.

My interpretation of the riddle and its answer may be different than yours. My interpretation suggests that happiness, personal satisfaction, indeed, even heaven, can be obtained only by listening to your heart, and opening it up to others with the same focus, and striving toward that end goal – whatever it may be. Living with a closed heart will eventually cause it to wither and become pale, instead of allowing it to blossom into something miraculous.