A swinging door is a shutting door, and a shutting door is barrier to the world behind it.
What happens behind closed doors stays (for the most part) behind closed doors. Doors can provide seclusion, secrecy and silence, and they can allow us to go into our own private place, away from the world behind it.
Last weekend, I spent an entire day behind closed doors. I woke up and didn't leave my house the entire day. In fact, I barely left my room. I got up, took a shower, and binge watched House of Cards on Netflix. I stayed in my pajamas, ate food in bed and didn't care to see the light of day. I was comfortable, and no one could see how comfortable I was, and frankly, I was perfectly happy with that.
There's something about being behind closed doors and lazy like that all day that made me feel embarrassed. I didn't want anyone to see how lazy I was being or how much of a cliche 'couch potato' I looked like- in short, I was thankful for my door, but by the end of the day, I was also depressed.
This isn't the only time I've felt this way. I've noticed in a lot of my 'behind closed doors' experiences that I wind up depressed- depressed and embarrassed. Any time I choose to spend a day hiding from the outside world, nothing productive ever happens and nothing I'd ever be proud of happens. Sure, there are times to shut the door and be alone to recharge, connect spiritually or just to get away; however, too much time behind closed doors and being behind closed doors doing the wrong ways breeds secrecy and seclusion-two things that, alone, aren't always the most healthy.
Close the door when needed, but open it and let some fresh air in at least once a day. See the sun and let it drive out the darkness that closed doors withhold.
-Cliff
Cliff's Note: A swinging door is a shutting door, and a shutting door is barrier to the world behind it.