In Chapter 5 of Bud, Not Buddy, Bud's mother discusses the opening and closing of doors. How does this metaphor relate to Bud's life?

In Chapter 5, Bud's mother tells him to remember that no matter how bad things look, "when one door closes, don't worry, because another door opens" (Curtis 43). Angela Caldwell's metaphor regarding the opening and closing of doors represents Bud's challenges and opportunities that he encounters throughout his life. Bud endures many trials and tribulations throughout the novel and every time he seems to have failed, another opportunity presents itself that Bud is able to take advantage of. For instance, when Bud misses the train to Chicago he is forced to walk towards Owosso and eventually gets picked up by Lefty Lewis, who takes him to Grand Rapids. After missing the train, Bud is upset and feels that he will never meet his father, but when Lefty Lewis arrives, another "door opens" which leads Bud in the right direction. When Bud initially meets Herman Calloway, he believes that Herman is his father. Herman views Bud with contempt and Bud begins to worry that he will be sent back to Flint, Michigan. Later on, it is revealed that Herman is actually Bud's grandfather, and Bud lives happily with the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Essentially, the "door closes" when Bud finds out that Herman is not his father, but another "door opens" when he discovers that he is Herman's grandchild. Bud's entire journey is a series of negative and positive experiences that correlate with his mother's metaphor of doors opening and closing.