You may have seen Soul Friend‘s logo and wondered what you were looking at.. or it may have been glaringly obvious at first glance. Either way, what you are looking at is, in fact, a green door. True, it’s not a door you might be used to seeing – or using. Our door logo was inspired by one of my favorite stories (and film trilogy) written by the indomitable English professor of philology, J.R.R. Tolkien, called ‘The Lord of the Rings‘.
A little round green door guarded the entrance to a certain hobbit’s home named Bagend, in Hobbiton, within the Shire of Middle Earth. That hobbit – Bilbo Baggins – was the main character of Tolkien’s earlier book, ‘The Hobbit’. In ‘The Lord of the Rings’, Bilbo bequeathed Bagend to his nephew, Frodo Baggins who he also given the one ring of power which he had kept safe for many a year. At this point, you’d be excused if you quit reading this post here, accepting my inspiration at face value. But, as with most of life, there’s more if you care to look more closely..
In the Lord of the Rings film trilogy Bilbo himself told Frodo, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” His comment was born of experience and reminiscent of an earlier conversation Bilbo had with Gandalf before beginning his own adventure decades earlier:
Gandalf: “You’ll have a tale or two to tell when you come back.”
Bilbo: “You can promise that I’ll come back?”
Gandalf: “No.. and if you do, you will not be the same.”
A door was chosen for Soul Friend’s logo because each time we enter through a door, we entering into a new space, latent with new possibilities and potential. Whether the door you enter/exit is at home, work, a friend’s house, restaurant, theater or the door of an airplane.. what’s about to happen after you enter is wholly unknown. You could meet a new friend, be presented with a fresh opportunity or have an ‘a-ha’ experience that sets the whole course of your life ablaze. Just as Bilbo knew from his many adventures that the unexpected was to be expected; when you welcome a ‘soul friend’ to journey life’s path with you, you’re welcoming the possibility of seeing yourself, and the world, differently.
So why the color green? Almost all plant life begins, or remains, green. Green is ever the color of growth. It’s the color of life. We, like the flora we live amongst, are created to grow. That growth is not restricted to our physical form – our bodies – but our hearts and minds are also created for growth. Thank God we are not who we once were, and also for who we will one day be. The Creator created and called you with a dream in mind of who you would one day become as you’re filled and fueled by His love in Christ Jesus and through His Holy Spirit. Interestingly, the color green is also known to alleviate anxiety and encourage hope while promoting creativity and innovation.
Now you know the backstory to why I chose a green door for Soul Friend’s logo. Join me on an adventure of a lifetime as we explore God’s great love for you, and His intentions to do good in this world through you!
“There are very few people who realize what God would make of them if they abandoned themselves into His hands and let themselves be formed by His grace.”
– St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)