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When do we finally learn?
Posted by Pat on January 28, 2024 in Uncategorized | ∞
Remember the fun little poem by Portia Nelson titled Autobiography in Five Short Chapters? It’s a delight and even has a message for us!
- 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’s 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.
Does this story remind you of the “Groundhog Day” movie? (Groundhog Day is this coming Friday!)
Does your life ever feel like that? We know that habits are just that-habitual! We always have the option to choose new ones. Even though it may take us a while to move on beyond the “holes” in our sidewalks, we can do it.
- Why is it that we mostly focus on those negative holes in our lives?
- Why do we keep falling into the hole?
- Why don’t we choose to walk down that different street?
Why?
- Maybe it’s just too simple?
- Maybe it’s just we don’t want to expend the energy?
- Maybe we’re worried about whether that different street might have a bigger pothole?
And,just maybe, we’re making a big deal out of a little hole! Once we’re aware of the hole, we do have a number of options.
What do you do to make a change?
How do you choose a different street?
1 Comment
Very wisely said! I also love the story.