“The basis of all human fears, he thought. A closed door, slightly ajar.”

“The courage of the poet is to keep ajar the door that leads into madness.”

Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American journalist, novelist, essayist and poet

“When one door closes, another opens… into another room, another space, other happenings. There are many doors to open and close in our lives. Some doors we leave ajar, where we hope and plan to return. Some doors are slammed shut decisively—"No more of that!" Some are closed regretfully, softly—"It was good, but it is over." Departures entail arrivals somewhere else. Closing a door, leaving it behind, means opening onto new vistas and ventures, new possibilities, new incentives.”

Helen Nearing (1904–1995) American writer

“One time me and three friends dropped acid and drove around in my dad's car. He has one of those talking cars, we're tripping, and the car goes, "The door is ajar." We pulled over and thought about that for 12 hours. "How can a door be a jar?" … "Why would they put a jar on a car?" … "Oh man, the freeway's melting!"”

Bill Hicks (1961–1994) American comedian

“I will tell you how to become rich. Close the doors. Be fearful when others are greedy. Be greedy when others are fearful.”

Warren Buffett (1930) American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist

“One of the enduring pathologies of human culture is the tendency to raise children to fear and demonize other human beings on the basis of religious faith.”

Sam Harris (1967) American author, philosopher and neuroscientist

“You can't have thought without emotion, and one emotion is fear, and making an important decision on the basis of fear is not a good idea. So develop your courage.”

Ursula Goodenough (1943) American biologist

“When God closes one door, He slams another in your face”

Marian Keyes (1963) Irish writer

“When God closes a door, he opens a window, but it's up to you to find it.”

Jeannette Walls (1960) American writer and journalist

“Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.”

Stephen King (1947) American author