Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
May 20, 2007
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 street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend that I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this 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 … but, 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.
This poem is taken from Portia Nelson’s “There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk“ – a wonderful collection of insights into love and life. The hole in the sidewalk provides a metaphor of life. Life is like a stroll down a somewhat hazardous sidewalk. The story identifies the key feature required to safely navigate life’s sidewalk.
“I don’t know what I want sometimes, but I know that I want to know what I want.” – Portia Nelson –
Jemima's Journal 
May 20, 2007 at 7:21 pm
quite true what portia said` if you want to find out what you want` then you’ll never find out` 😀
*io ka chng away from the hole*
*puzzled by Ben’s comment*
May 20, 2007 at 7:22 pm
oopS! wad was i talking` i mean, if you dun want to find out what you want, then you’ll never discover what you really want`
there, that’s more like it. lols`
Hehe.. That’s definitely more like it, Ben. 😉
May 20, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I love this poem, I read it when I was in pre-teen… it really helped me to grow. 🙂
Lex, I think it is a great poem for everyone – regardless of age. 🙂
May 20, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Hmmm … Nice one.
[:
Thanks, Kyels. 🙂
May 20, 2007 at 9:35 pm
First time I came across this poet. It’s a great piece of work, though.
Funny how something like a poem about falling into a hole in the sidewalk can help folks grow throught their difficult periods.
Moz, that’s the magic of metaphors. Can you remember the movie “Forrest Gump”? Another great lesson from his simple movie quote. 😉
May 20, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Hmmm very meaningful… guess all ppl are the same.. They dun fall they dun learn… but if fall also hv to make sure know how to get up lor!!!
That’s right, Wennnn. 🙂
May 20, 2007 at 10:31 pm
I’ve read this one before, somewhere. quite insightful. I wonder which chapter I’m in right now… *sigh*
Only you know, May.. *hugs*
May 20, 2007 at 10:39 pm
“There’s A Hole In My Sidewalk” reminds me of that Harry Belafonte song, “There’s a Hole in My Bucket”. Yes, I see music in most of everything. 😛
Hehe.. Dan, at least you don’t see Bon Jovi in everything. 😛
May 21, 2007 at 2:18 am
Likw May I’m sure I read this quote somewhere before…hmmm…let me see…
yes yes, I recall now! It was at the JKR’s office!!
Hahhahahahahaah!!!
Now this quote has also been adopted in our parliament…”There’s a hole in the roof” Kakakakakaka!!!
CD, I’m sure their version has more than 5 chapters la.. 😆
May 21, 2007 at 9:07 am
sometimes it’s tht same deep hole in the sidewalk tht help us to be stronger..
I supposed it all depends on the situation within the hole, SK.
May 21, 2007 at 10:52 am
It’s about learning from mistakes, and at some point of time, you blame yourself for the predicament you’re in 🙂
It sure is, Sha. 🙂
In reality, that’s what most of us do.
May 21, 2007 at 10:55 am
i dunno wat i want but i know what i dont want..
nice poem..:)
Knowing what you don’t want is a good start, Winn. 🙂
I’m glad you like the poem, too.
May 21, 2007 at 11:34 am
Man, local council must be pretty lax not to fix that friggin’ hole in the sidewalk. Possibly it’s all Portia Nelsons fault as she never let council know about it to fill it in! 🙂
Now others are falling in the same hole. 🙂
Hehe.. do you have to blame her, Dabs? 😛
May 21, 2007 at 2:09 pm
Ooooo…for a minute there I thought it was u. SO dahsyat lar ur poem..but to find it also means something. 🙂 THanks for sharing….hugs
Hehe.. I can only wish that I can write such a nice poem, Yvy. 🙂
Glad to know you like it, too. *hugs back*
May 21, 2007 at 4:29 pm
nice one there…i’m guessing after that street, he/she takes on another town? haha
Hehe.. That’s a great idea, Ttpah. 😛
May 21, 2007 at 4:38 pm
we go thru “holes” in our lives, we learn and grow, to make us “whole” again. 🙂
Nice comment, Alison.
Thanks. 🙂
May 21, 2007 at 6:58 pm
sengkor sounds like samy vellu.
*no comment*
May 21, 2007 at 9:15 pm
hey, interesting! sounds pretty apt when it comes to relationship. we knew we shouldn’t fall for it and yet we still fell.. lol.
Relationship is a very complex matter, _butt. 😉
May 21, 2007 at 9:38 pm
craps la uncle.. samy says ‘whatever hole also not my fault, ok..’
May 21, 2007 at 11:00 pm
lol at sengkor and cocka!!
fall into hole until not scared when see hole. because by then you don’t want that hole already. hope the pants all not torn by then from all that climbing out.
LOL.. You’ve got a good imagination, Misti. 😛
May 22, 2007 at 12:10 am
That is a very interesting poem. I like it. I like the writing and the structure, and the meaning is especially nice.
Thanks, Kenzie. 🙂
I’m happy to know that you like it, too.
March 27, 2008 at 1:06 am
every road has its hols; question is are you tall enough to climb out
Welcome, Alex. 🙂
Answer: One’s height won’t be the problem. It is one’s will & determination.
January 4, 2010 at 3:10 am
Chapter 6: I walk down that othwr street.
There is a fissure,
or maybe its black ice.
I step on it anyway.
I’ve never heard of black ice.
So its not my fault.
I fall and crack my skull…
After that its all hazy for a long while.
I sue the keepers of the sidewalk where I fell.
They say that it IS my fault
and they won’t pay one red cent towards my recovery.
The judge agrees
so I hire another lawyer
who has pictures taken of the sidewalk and my skull.
The second judge agrees with the first.
So I hire aa third lawyer who presents my school recrds, going back to kindergarten to prove that I was never taught about black ice.
The 3rd judge agrees with the first.
My 4th lawyer has all of my teachers, going back to kindergarten put under surveillance and then tried for deriliction of duty.
The 5th judge agrees with the first judge.
All of my teachers then get together and hire Clarence Darrow’s grandson who then proceeds to sue me for defamation of character of all of thee 59 them and the keeper of the sidewalk.
They win.
I now have an overwhelming fear of sidewalks, teachers, black ice, fissures, judges…my therapist says I’ll get over it in 10-20 years and that I should bee sure to make another appointment for next Monday.
On my hands aand knees I crawl down the sidewalk…
June 10, 2011 at 5:33 pm
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June 21, 2011 at 11:35 pm
[…] what I want sometimes, but I know that I want to know what I want.” – Portia Nelson – sursa: https://jemima.wordpress.com/ This entry was posted in Articole. Bookmark the permalink. ← Sonia Choquette | How to […]
October 2, 2012 at 1:30 pm
I believe it is about the fact that if you keep doing things the same way, you will always get the same results. Thus, if you are unhappy with the results, you need to do things differently to get a new result. It can be, but is not limited to, people in recovery from addiction. If they continue living their lives the same as when they were actively using after quitting use, they will most likely end up relapsing. In order to live a quality sober life they must make big lifestyle changes.
September 30, 2013 at 1:08 pm
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