The Gate Keeper

4.25.2015


Chloe at the gate.

gate keeper  | gāt′kē′pər

noun

1. One that is in charge of passage through a gate.
2. One who monitors or oversees the actions of others.
3. One who controls access to something, such as information or services.

In contemporary society the term "gate keeper" is often associated with an individual that is responsible for securing information or keeping control of information.  It could be the duties of an administrative person, or that of a business's IT department.

But in earlier days, the gate keeper held the important position of deciding who was allowed into the city. Especially during the Roman era, it was always in your best interest to be on the good side of the one who controlled the gate, otherwise you were locked out from ever stepping foot into the walled village, and that could mean being turned out from food or even shelter.

We've given Chloe the honorary title of the "gate keeper" and each evening she accompanies me, or my wife as we conduct the ritual of locking the front security gate at our house. It's a job, that Chloe relishes as she solemnly walks by our side to the outside iron gate. 

As we turn the key within the lock, she purposely places her nose through the bars and in her watchdog fashion looks out to check one more time if any one is approaching. Once the gate is secured, she turns and marches back at our side knowing that her work is complete for the day.

With her watchdog face, Chloe takes her responsibility as the gate keeper seriously,
...but sometimes that lower bar gets in her line of sight.

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