About Joe Wehbe

I left high school wanting to be a filmmaker and to change the world. Instead, I went to university and endured ‘three dead years’ (written about in 18 & Lost? So Were We—book no. 1). Then, this guy I’d met called Nick started doing this work in village in Nepal. Inspired to get involved, I joined him, and it changed my life.

I feel like the great tragedy of life is that we’re too easily pressured or pulled into making it all about ourselves, and not enough about others. Also, in a Walter White, Breaking Bad kind of way, we spend a lot of time deceiving ourselves… making out it’s for others, when it’s really about us.

I started carrying on about the Doors metaphor because when I looked back, I realised none of my plans seem to come to fruition the way I hope or expect. I always end up somewhere else instead—often somewhere better. There’s this creeping suspicion I’m not in control—how liberating. I’ve learned it doesn’t matter how smart we are, none of us knows for sure anything beyond the current Room we’re in. We face the next Doors without any guarantee of what lies beyond. And so we’re forced into faith… only we decide what sort of faith. That’s the choice. What we choose to believe, what reality we want to create for ourselves. That dictates what Doors we take, what Rooms we find ourselves in. The journey is trying to mould us into something, giving us experiences and realisations that unlock each Door… but we’re very capable of resisting this, of remaining locked in.

Mostly, our energy goes into trying to unlock the next Door, the one we want open. Somewhere along the way it occured to me, ‘No, Joe… forget what you want for a while… Open Doors For Others.’ 

To follow or support my journey, consider checking out my books or newsletter, ‘The Doorman.’ Alternatively, please don’t be afraid to reach out, say hello, and tell me your story. My email is joe at with joe wehbe dot com.

I’ll finish by sharing what Jack Lemmon’s father said to him. Jack Lemmon’s father told him to go into the world and ‘spread a little sunshine.’ Go nuts, and spread a little sunshine.