I recently came across a movie called ‘Letters to Juliet’ which opens with a beautiful monologue which goes something like this :
‘What’ and ‘if’ are two words as non-threatening as words can be. But put them together side by side, and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: What if? What if?”
This made me wonder how such a small question carries so much weight. This question lingers in the minds of so many of us, paralyzing dreams, chaining ambitions, and dimming the light of possibility. It’s a quiet, persistent voice that whispers fears of failure and rejection. But what happens when we choose to face it? Come with me to witness how a little boy dealt with this fear :
In a small, dimly lit room, a boy sat alone, staring at a door. The world beyond that door was a mystery—both enchanting and terrifying. His heart was filled with ambition and dreams of soaring in the open sky, of laughter, connection, and belonging. But the same mind which blessed him with the privilege of dreaming and imagining also cursed him with a riddle. If solved correctly, it could guarantee success in his endeavours, but if left unsolved or misunderstood, it could haunt him forever: the riddle of What if?
So the boy wondered: “What if the world out there is cold?” “What if I find no hand to hold?”
These fears played on a loop in his head. Often, he would rise, pushing these negative interpretations aside, step toward the door, and gently knock—a soft, hesitant plea for something beyond. Yet, each time, he stopped short of turning the handle. The possibility of rejection, failure, and not being wanted was too much to bear.
“What if I open the door and find emptiness? Or worse, judgment?” he thought.
The boy wasn’t alone in his struggle. We’ve all been that boy at some point, haven’t we? Homo Sapiens are known to be the most complex species on the entire planet, capable of achieving great things with our cognitive capabilities, yet our minds can become what liberates us or what chains us down. Sitting on the edge of our dreams, too scared to step forward. The fear of failure or rejection builds walls around us, turning doors into barriers, and the “what ifs” into chains.
The door is a boundary and an invitation. It kept the boy safe from the unknown but also trapped him in his fears. Through the cracks, he imagined all the terrible things waiting on the other side: the harsh words, the stares, the loneliness. Yet, he also dreamed of the warmth, the connections, the possibilities.
He reached out again, this time placing his trembling hand on the handle. “What if,” he whispered, “what lies beyond isn’t as scary as my fears have spawned?”
The boy, now understanding what the riddle meant, was presented with two choices: to stay locked in or to take a chance. Most of us face a similar choice at some point in our lives: to either stay in our comfort zone, even if it haunts us and fills us with regret and guilt later on just because it is familiar, or to get out, take a chance, try, and take the risk.
The boy, resolved, tightened his hands around the handle, his heart pounding, and turned it to open the door. As the door creaked open, the boy was greeted not by monsters or cold, empty nights but by sunlight spilling into his small room. Beyond the threshold lay a world vibrant and alive. He saw people smiling, paths winding through fields of possibility, and skies so vast they seemed to call his dreams upward.
The boy stepped through, his fears trailing behind like shadows in the sun. The world wasn’t perfect—there were still challenges, still unknowns—but it wasn’t as terrifying as he’d imagined. In fact, it was beautiful. For every fear he had, there was a counterbalancing joy: for every harsh word, there was a kind one; for every closed door, an open one.
Like the boy, we all have doors we hesitate to open. Whether it’s pursuing a dream, starting a conversation, or taking a risk, the fear of rejection often looms larger than reality. But the truth is, behind every locked door lies a new journey—a chance to grow, to connect, to be brave.
The world isn’t as cold as we fear. Yes, there are challenges, but there are also warm smiles, open arms, and spaces waiting just for us. Every step forward, every handle turned, chips away at the fear until it becomes a faint whisper, easily drowned out by the symphony of life.
So, if you’re sitting behind a door today, wondering what if? Take a deep breath. Place your hand on the handle. Turn it, even if your heart is pounding. That is the answer to the riddle. You may just find that the world is ready to welcome you, with all its imperfections and all its beauty.
Life is waiting—not for the perfect version of you, but for the brave one. Open the door. Step into the space. Let your dreams take flight.
After all, “What if?” can be a haunting question—but it can also be the beginning of some extraordinary realizations.
