Love your neighbors. Open doors.

"Love your Neighbor." What a wonderful reminder today as we sit in quarantine. Quarantine does not have to mean isolation. Technology makes it possible to stay connected. And let's face it, social media dependence has prepared us for a moment like this. Remember how everyone complained that people don't talk face to face anymore? If that is the case, how much different is our forced quarantine.

We can focus on all the things that we've lost. Or, we can focus on how we can be strengthened. At the risk of eye-rolls - I am going to say it: When one door closes, another opens. Today - I invite you to open some doors. Hear me out!

Imagine you are in the Scare Factory in the Monsters, Inc. movie. You get to choose the doors you open and which you close. Here are just a couple waiting to be selected:

• Open the door for someone else who is lonely. Better to be lonely together. Make a phone call. Send a text. Use FaceTime or Skype! Write a letter. It takes 5 minutes.
• Open your front door and take a walk today - look for others doing the same. From 6 feet away, greet them with a smile, maybe even a word of encouragement. You may be the only person they talk to today. You might even strike up a new friendship.
• Open to door to inspirational writings. It could be a book you've been meaning to read, or just 5 minutes googling "Inspirational Quotes." Find one to focus on for today. Better yet - share it with a friend and stick it in the comments here.
• Encourage your kids to open their bedroom doors. Start a game tradition. It may be hard, but I guarantee that a year from now they will look back at this time with fond memories. Share your favorite games in the comments.

A lot of doors have been closed to us for the time being. It's up to each of us to open doors for ourselves, and to invite others to join us. What doors will you open today? Share in the comments! Love your neighbors - they need you today. We need each other. Crazy paradox - when we open our hearts to love others, we find joy. When we focus on ourselves, we lose it. Today, choose joy by loving your neighbor - open a door.