Autobiography In Five Chapters

Autobiography In Five Chapters

1) I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

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.

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.

4) I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

5) I walk down another street.

Portia Nelson
From: Sogyal Rinpoche, The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

I attended a Compulsive Eater’s class with a friend last year sometime.  The counselor explained that when we follow the same path, we get the same outcome.  It is only when we change our path that we will get a different outcome. 

The same in true in “Autobiography in Five Chapters.”  We must work to change the habits that keep resulting in the same outcome.  It isn’t easy but it can be done.  Above all, don’t beat yourself up when you have a slip.  Just get crawl out of the hole and try again.  A very important part of this autobiography is "My eys are open.  I know where I am.  It is my fault.  I get out immediately."  Very powerful words.