Ronalfy.com — The Personal Website of Ronald Huereca

In my limited relationship experience, I was always told to never treat people like doormats. In other words, I shouldn’t treat somebody like that person can be walked all over. As wise as it is to not treat people like doormats, I think that being a doormat has received too much of a negative connotation. I began to ask myself, “Why is being a doormat such a bad thing?”

In my own quest to determine if being a doormat is a bad thing, I began to think of several attributes of doormats. Hopefully after reading my attributes, you will yourself conclude that being a doormat isn’t all that bad.

Doormats Are a Refuge

When it’s rainy or snowy outside, doormats are literally a refuge. I’ve found myself many times wiping my feet on a doormat so that I wouldn’t injure myself when walking on the unprotected flooring of a building. Doormats are also a refuge when one of the janitorial staff decides to mop the floor. After an intense balancing act, a doormat is the island of hope that one must get to in order to be saved from a harsh fall.

Doormats are protectors as well. When it’s muddy, or dusty, a doormat takes the grime so that nobody else does. This is extremely sacrificial. Doormats take the abuse in order to make everything else look good.

Doormats Set the Scene

A good doormat will set the scene of a house. A doormat is the one piece of personality (besides lawn ornaments) that set the scene of a house before somebody enters. A good doormat will make a person feel welcome and will be an introduction to what’s inside the house.

A well taken care of doormat (one that is clean) is also an indication of the cleanliness of the house. A neglected doormat will reflect negatively on the owners.

Doormats Are There

When entering a house or a building, a doormat is one of the first things you’ll encounter. Whether doormats are noticed or not, they are there. Doormats don’t care whether they’re noticed or not; they know they’re appreciated, especially when weather conditions worsen.

Conclusion: Doormats Are Sacrificial

I conclude that treating somebody like a doormat is a bad thing. After all, not everybody wants to be a doormat. However, choosing to be a doormat is an admirable thing.

For one, doormats are willing to take the grime that nobody else wants to have. When a doormat gets dirty, it is rather easy to clean. The same can’t be said for carpets, or flooring. To put this in an analogical perspective, a person who is a doormat is willing to be a buffer (or shield) so that the ones closest will not be affected by negativity.

Being a doormat is allowing people to take refuge. People may step on you all day, but people will run to you when things are bad. Furthermore, being a doormat means you have the potential to set the stage for the things around you.

Being a doormat also means that you are willing to be there for people. Whether people notice what you’re doing is a non-issue. The important thing is establishing a visual foundation so that people will know you’ll be there when needed.

To perhaps incite some discussion, if you were a doormat, what kind would you be? Please respond with your comment.

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