AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN FIVE SHORT CHAPTERS
poem by Portia Nelson from her book
“There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery”
Chapter I
I walk down the street. There is a hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless. It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter II
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in the same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter III
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there. I still fall in. It’s a habit.
My eyes are open. I know where I am.
It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter IV
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter V
I walk down another street.
Related articles
- Think Differently to Leap Out of Old Patterns (ichoosechange.com)
- On practice (cyndikershner.wordpress.com)
