I've always had a fascination for doors, wondering what's beyond them ... where they might take me. Its a curiosity that's led me to photograph doors wherever I've travelled ... doors of every shape, size, colour and condition you could imagine.
Behind every door is a story.
Earlier this year I heard a story that made me realise that there are doors around us everywhere in life, waiting to be opened. The story is about a young South Australian man named Peter Carter. He was a keen tennis player and went to live and coach in Switzerland where one day he met a nine-year old Roger Federer.
As a pre-teen and young teenager, Federer found it difficult to control his emotions. There were tantrums and tears and he often threw and kicked his racket around the court yelling and swearing. But Carter saw Roger’s untapped potential and agreed to coach him.
Roger credits Carter with shaping him into a great tennis player, but much more importantly into a man. He says so much of the comfortable, relaxed style and the precision people speak about today he owes to Carter, and so much more … Carter instilled in him respect, humility and dignity ... the marks of a man.
Behind every door is a story.
Earlier this year I heard a story that made me realise that there are doors around us everywhere in life, waiting to be opened. The story is about a young South Australian man named Peter Carter. He was a keen tennis player and went to live and coach in Switzerland where one day he met a nine-year old Roger Federer.
As a pre-teen and young teenager, Federer found it difficult to control his emotions. There were tantrums and tears and he often threw and kicked his racket around the court yelling and swearing. But Carter saw Roger’s untapped potential and agreed to coach him.
Roger credits Carter with shaping him into a great tennis player, but much more importantly into a man. He says so much of the comfortable, relaxed style and the precision people speak about today he owes to Carter, and so much more … Carter instilled in him respect, humility and dignity ... the marks of a man.
I think we all have a ‘Carter’ somewhere in our lives. Kurt Fearnley, the great Australian Para Olympian, grew up in the small community of Carcoar where he was always included as one of the kids. He’d never felt different until he went to high school and experienced the looks of curiosity and pity. Enter a teacher called Miss Dickson. She organised 20 wheelchairs so the whole class could compete on an equal footing with Kurt ... it was a life changing moment … the boy who felt different, in that moment felt the same as everyone else.
When Kurt was just 14 years old, the community of Carcoar raised the funds to buy him a racing wheelchair and send him to the USA to compete in wheelchair sport. That spontaneous financial support from a community of only 200 people opened a door for Kurt to achieve more than he had ever thought possible. Today he is one of our greatest sportsmen.
When Kurt was just 14 years old, the community of Carcoar raised the funds to buy him a racing wheelchair and send him to the USA to compete in wheelchair sport. That spontaneous financial support from a community of only 200 people opened a door for Kurt to achieve more than he had ever thought possible. Today he is one of our greatest sportsmen.
Cathy Freeman opened a door for Jessica Mauboy. When Cathy visited her school, Jess saw Cathy as a living example of reaching the highest point in life, “I realised that it doesn’t matter what your background is, it’s what’s inside that’s more important … that’s what you have to give”. Cathy became the inspiration for the woman Jessica is today.
Tucked away in a drawer I have three letters of recommendation, reminders of bosses who, each in their own way, open doors for me. One was an absent-minded professor, whose fierce faith in me gave me confidence to take on a leadership role despite my feelings of inadequacy. In doing so he enabled me to train and equip a number of people to pursue their dreams.
The other two mirrored Jesus to me and taught me more through example than they will ever know.
The other two mirrored Jesus to me and taught me more through example than they will ever know.
We are constantly surrounded with opportunities to spur one another on. It might just mean letting someone know you believe in them or helping them find the courage to step out into the unknown, with no idea what's behind the door, but willing to risk.
Perhaps you will open a door for someone to realise their potential as a friend of mine discovered at a recent conference. Several people told him they were where they are today because of opportunities he gave them many years ago.
We never know the impact of our lives on another human being. Sometimes in the living of the everyday as a mum or dad, a teacher, coach, boss, friend, or grandparent, a door is opened, a door to a new way of thinking, a career path or a new direction in life.
Perhaps you will open a door for someone to realise their potential as a friend of mine discovered at a recent conference. Several people told him they were where they are today because of opportunities he gave them many years ago.
We never know the impact of our lives on another human being. Sometimes in the living of the everyday as a mum or dad, a teacher, coach, boss, friend, or grandparent, a door is opened, a door to a new way of thinking, a career path or a new direction in life.
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