By A.L. Childers — who has learned that fate often saves us by disappointing us first.
There are moments in every life — whether lived under gas lamps and cobblestone streets or beneath the whir of modern fluorescent lights — when the heart reaches for something with all its might… and yet the very thing it desires slips quietly from its grasp.
It is a universal experience, as old as humanity itself.
The job we longed for.
The chance we thought would change everything.
The door that seemed meant for us — only to shut with such finality we feel its echo in our bones.
So it was with me.
After offering my time, my enthusiasm, and my honest effort, I found myself waiting for a response that never came. They had promised a further interview — the kind that sits at the edge of hope like a candle trembling at the mercy of a cold draft — and yet no message arrived. No explanation. Only silence.
At first, the sting was sharp, as all disappointments are.
But as the dust settled, clarity emerged like a gentle hand upon the shoulder.
For this was not rejection.
No — this was protection.
A divine redirection.
A quiet form of correction.
A whisper of introspection.
A moment of holy intervention.
Life has its own rhyme —
“What you lose today is guarding your tomorrow.”
Sometimes a “no” is simply fate saying,
“Not here. Not that door. Not that sorrow.”
🌫️ The Door That Closed Was Never Mine
Had I entered it, I would have discovered:
- A long and weary road
- Endless hours of toil
- Traffic that devours both time and spirit
- A sameness of pay with a heaviness of burden
- A workplace where communication faltered before employment even began
It was as if life whispered through the keyhole:
“Child, this door does not lead to your peace.”
And though Dickens wrote often of fate’s twists, this lesson is my own.
An A.L. Childers lesson — carved from hope, disappointment, and revelation.
Providence — though mysterious — is never unkind.
It simply sees what we cannot.
🌧️ Why We Want What We Want (And Why It Doesn’t Always Want Us Back)
Sometimes we pursue opportunities not out of passion, but out of pressure.
Bills gather like winter fog.
Responsibilities tap insistently at our conscience.
Fear of not-enough tightens around our hopes like a cold December wind.
We chase any door with a handle simply because it promises temporary warmth.
But not every warm door leads to a warm life.
Some doors hide storm clouds.
Some hide burnout.
Some hide futures we were never meant to carry.
And so fate — in its quiet, old-fashioned wisdom — closes it.
Not out of cruelty.
But out of care.
A closed door doesn’t punish you —
it protects you from what you can’t yet see.
🚪 The Hallway of Waiting Is Where Transformation Happens
When one door shuts, we stand in the hallway.
Alone.
Unsure.
Listening for any sign of what comes next.
But the hallway is where we grow.
It is where:
✨ Resilience is shaped
✨ Patience is stretched
✨ confidence is rebuilt
✨ purpose becomes clearer
It is the space where the soul learns what it truly wants.
“Between the ending and the beginning,
the becoming takes place.”
The bills still need paying.
The days still march on.
But even in the tightest seasons, one truth remains:
A closed door is not the conclusion —
it’s the transition.
📚 Part-Time Ghostwriting + Writing My Books: The Unexpected Blessing
In the quiet left by unanswered messages, something unexpected rose in its place.
A rhythm that did not drain.
A routine that did not suffocate.
A life that allowed breathing room.
Part-time ghostwriting offered simplicity, structure, and steadiness.
Writing my own books offered freedom, fire, and purpose.
Together, they formed a sanctuary —
a life aligned with my spirit, not against it.
It was a surprise blessing wearing the disguise of disappointment.
🔔 For You, Dear Reader
If you are standing before a door that did not open, hear me:
You have not failed.
You have not been overlooked.
You have not been cast aside.
You have been redirected.
Toward peace.
Toward purpose.
Toward a future that honors your heart.
Life removes you from places that are unworthy of your calling.
And when the right door opens — as surely it will —
You will see why the others had to close.
📝 Disclaimer
This blog reflects personal experiences and interpretations. It is intended for inspiration and reflection, not as professional employment advice.
👩💼 About the Author
A.L. Childers is a bestselling author, truth-seeker, and storyteller based in Charlotte, NC. She writes about resilience, reinvention, hidden history, and the quiet wisdom inside life’s turning points.
A powerful, Dickens-style reflection by author A.L. Childers on why closed doors are often divine protection—not rejection. Discover how life reroutes us toward purpose, peace, and unexpected blessings through ghostwriting, creativity, and trusting the process.
