If you are anything like me, lessons of life seem always to be learnt the hard way. It seems as though I often have to make the same mistake time and time again before I finally figure out how not to do something. Either that or I discover that what I am attempting to do simply isn’t going to work or I finally understand I need to change direction. In her book, “There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk,” Portia Nelson wrote a piece of prose entitled, “Autobiography in Five Short Chapters.” Here it is, see if you can relate to it.

Chapter One

I walk down the street.

There’s a deep 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 Two

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 Three

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.

But my eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

Chapter Four

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

Chapter Five

I walk down a different street.

Portia Nelson

There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk