Autobiography in Five Chapters
By
Portia Nelson
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portia_Nelson
Chapter 1. I
walk down the street.
There
is 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 2. 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'm in the same place.
But it
isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3. 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 4. I walk down the same street.
There
is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5. I walk down a DIFFERENT street.
Did
you ever find yourself minding your own business when something shifted in your
life? Did you sense an invitation to change your way of living or thinking? Did
you ever encounter a challenge to reach beyond your “comfort zone” which
surprised you on your routine route? Have you ever found yourself ignoring or
denying the need to let go of frustrations, anxiety, anger, or unhealthy
attachments?
After
experiencing a number of realities that were challenging, did you wake up to
the fact that maybe it’s time to notice patterns of behaviors, thoughts,
desires, or attitudes which no longer serve you as life-giving choices? Have
you ever discovered old patterns that kept you falling into holes of
psychological or spiritual emptiness? Did you notice your growth in awareness
that you can change and make personal choices to avoid places, people, and
experiences that keep you from being your best self?
Choosing
to take on a different route can be monumental, but all of these challenges
call for grit, grace, and guts. This is all part of the discernment process as
well. It is so essential to develop a realistic sense of who you are as you
walk down the sidewalk of life. Possibly the shift you sense within is calling
you to consider living a more life-giving way of being. What will it mean to
step into this search and adventure? Are you willing to go down another street
to seek out new questions, new answers, new dreams, and new possibilities?
The
best thing to do when you find yourself at the corner of “walk and don’t walk”
is to connect with someone who knows your heart, or a spiritual director who
will offer you a “Trip Tik” that will assist you in this blurry-clear journey!
