There’s a scene in the The Karate Kid,
Where Jaden Smith’s character, Dre,
Joins his class on a trip to the Forbidden City.
He stands at the foot of a large red door,
Lined with rows and rows of golden knobs.
Dre’s classmate Meiying notices and walks over.
“You touch them for good luck,” she says to him.
Sometimes I find myself suddenly aware
Of the basic function of doors. Such an awareness
Usually occurs when I’m right next to one
And I can hear the voices from the other side.
Or when I’m using a public restroom,
Hoping the lock on the door is fully functional.
In these moments, I notice how doors separate us.
One could be mere inches away from another
Person, but a door in between transports them
To two distinct and separate worlds.