Chapter One
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 Two
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 this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes me a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the same street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall…it’s a habit…but,
My eyes are open.
I know where I am.

It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

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

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

-Portia Nelson, “Autobiography in Five Short Chapters” (1994)