Mr. Finnegan worries so much about missing what's happening on the other side of the door that he never truly enjoys what's happening on his side.
When little Imogen stops to learn why, one thoughtful question helps Mr. Finnegan discover that you can't enjoy either side of the door unless you choose one.
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Mr. Finnegan
Out again, in again
Went Mr. Finnegan
Down at the corner store.
Outside or inside,
He could not decide,
So spent all day at the door.
He'd say, "How do you do?"
As people passed through
With a smile and nod of his head.
And hold the door wide,
As they entered inside,
To purchase their milk and bread.
“Oh, poor Mr. Finnegan”,
Said sweet little Imogen
With her kind and friendly smile.
“I don’t understand why
you cannot decide…”
Then sat with him for a while.
“The trouble, my dear,
Is an odd kind of fear
I’m missing out on the things going on.
On each side of a door
Are great things to explore
And if I miss them then they could be gone.”
She wrinkled her nose
And said, “I suppose…”
As she thought about what he had said.
Then she had a great thought
A thought that she ought
Might be able to help her good friend.
“Mr Finnegan,” she said,
As she tilted her head,
“I’m sorry, but isn’t it true?
That you’ll miss all that goes on
If neither side you’ll be on
Until you decide to go through?”
“But, once you decide
To be outside or inside
Then, at least, you can enjoy that half...”
That thought did then cause
Mr. Finnegan to pause.
And then he let loose a great laugh!
“Oh, sweet little Imogen!”
Said old Mr. Finnegan,
“Of course, my dear, you are right!
I have been so daft!”
And, again, he did laugh,
“I feel so very contrite!”
“All the things that I’ve missed,
The great things that exist,
On this side of the door, or that.
All because of my fears
That had kept me, for years,
Being such an awfully big prat.”
At that great moment he knew
Exactly what he should do
And walked right into the store.
He then changed his ways.
And for the rest of his days,
Never spent all day at the door.
THE END
