Aylesbury Counselling and Psychotherapy

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Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson

Portia Nelson was an American author, poet, and actress. Her celebrated poem, "Autobiography in Five Short Chapters," is featured in her book "There's a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery." This poignant piece explores themes of self-awareness, personal responsibility, resilience, and growth, making it particularly resonant within the 12-step recovery community. Nelson's reflections encourage readers to recognize their patterns, embrace personal responsibility, and embark on a journey of healing and transformation. Her legacy continues to inspire those navigating the complexities of life and self-discovery.

In this short poem she presents an image of personal change. It is often the case that first we come to recognise something about ourselves that we would like to change. The journey then from cognition to the adjustment of behaviour, habit, or reorganisation of personality structure will naturally occur through a process of repetition, perseverance and patience.

 

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

I

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 me forever to find a way out.

II

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.

III

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.

IV

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

V

I walk down another street.


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