Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
July 14, 2012
Several days ago H. B. Charles Jr. reprinted a poem by Portia Nelson called Autobiography in Five Short Chapters. In reading it for the first time, I was struck by its profound simplicity. It says a great deal in only a few sentences.
Here it is . . .
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 am 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 another street.
Do you need to walk down another street?