My first portal-peek into the world of portals hails from the Star Trek episode The City On The Edge Of Forever from 1967. It was dramatic and different, though honestly, when my family and I finished watching it (take-out and Sunday night television), we likely moved onto the next program, possibly The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. At any rate, I left the portal back where I last saw it, and my life continued.
Fast-forward to a discussion about portals with a friend in 2007, and what are they actually. We had a fine time checking the internet and talking about the implications which I subsequently embraced most whole-heartedly.
A portal is simply a gateway. Conceptually it can be into another world, or simply a new beginning (or middle, or even end, really). The idea, in my own personal world, is a story, a viewpoint. What happens after the end of the book or film? What is unseen in a painting, or what other stories is a dancer or performer telling? That smile from a child while you wait in line at the store, the interesting license plate, or odd choice of car color. My, but the list is endless! People move from moment to moment. I move in and out of portals. You are welcome to join me. And I hope you do.