The Black Door

The story is about a war in the Middle East over one hundred years ago where a general of the Persian army was brought an enemy spy. It was common practice to put spies to death without questions, yet the general was a man of some compassion and took a slightly different view of how to deal with this particular individual.

In fact, he gave the spy a choice. He could be put against a wall and shot by firing squad or he could be pushed through the 'Black Door'. It was up to the spy which fate he wished to bring upon himself.

It didn't take long for the spy to come to a decision. No one had yet passed through the ominous and mysterious Black Door. Like most spies given this choice, he chose the firing squad. It was the known outcome rather than the fear of the Black Door and the unknown. The general stared at his boots in dismay as the firing squad was assembled and subsequently the sentence carried out.

One of the aides of the general had to ask the question.

'Sir, what does lie beyond the Black Door?'

'Freedom,' he retorted, 'and I have yet to meet a man brave enough to go through it.'

Sad as it is. I see so many people who seek the firing squad over the Black Door. Ask yourself the question – is there a Black Door you can choose to go through that you're avoiding right now? Or are you putting yourself up against the wall and facing a firing squad time and time again?

You can now do something about it!

Dare to be Different, Alessandro Forte.