Portia Nelson, A Hole In My Sidewalk

[evdoxia]

Chapter 1
I walk down a street and there's a big hole.
I don't see it and fall into it.
It's dark and hopeless and it takes me a long time to find my way out.
It's not my fault !

Chapter 2
I walk down the same street.
There's a big hole and I can see it, but I still fall in.
It's dark and hopeless and it takes me a long time to get out.
It's still not my fault.

Chapter 3
I walk down a street.
There's a big hole.
I can see it, but I still fall in.
It's become a habit.
But I keep my eyes open and get out immediately.
It is my fault.

Chapter 4
I walk down a street.
There's a big hole.
And I walk around it.

Chapter 5
I walk down a different street.

[Frederique]

Here’s why the poem is so important:
Chapter I – We acknowledge there’s a problem and that we are ready to change but aren’t ready to accept responsibility for our circumstances.
Chapter II – We find it hard to believe that we are in the same place again – but still blaming other people or things… “the hole jumped out at me”!
Chapter II – We finally accept responsibility!  And we recognize that our decisions are now part of a pattern of behavior… and we are the ones who must change NOT everyone else.
Chapter IV – Through understanding ourselves, a change in thought process takes place and our behavior changes, too.
Chapter V – A whole new level of maturity is reached.  Instead of making concessions to avoid the hole, change takes a completely different path.  Instead of tolerating old friends, we make new ones.  Instead of relying on old coping mechanisms to deal with life, we choose healthier behavior such as meditation, prayer, etc.
Source: http://cliccoaching.wordpress.com/2010/04/29/

[Frederique]

  Portia Nelson (born Betty Mae Nelson)   (May 27, 1920 – March 6, 2001) was an American popular singer, songwriter, actress, and author. She was best known for her appearances in the most prestigious 1950s cabarets, where she sang an elegant repertoire in a soprano noted for its silvery tone, perfect diction, intimacy, and meticulous attention to words. In 1965 she portrayed the cantankerous Sister Berthe in the film version of The Sound of Music; on TV’s All My Children Nelson played the long-running role of nanny Mrs. Gurney. Her book of poetic musings, There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery, became a mainstay of twelve-step programs..[...]



Portia Nelson (born Betty Mae Nelson)
Berthe in the film version of The Sound of Music

Poems published in Translatum:

• A Hole In My Sidewalk

[lefty]

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.

[evdoxia]

Ω, τι σύμπτωση:-)

https://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php?topic=16268.msg344433#msg344433

[lefty]

Έλα! Τώρα πρέπει να το σβήσω;

[evdoxia]

Δεν νομίζω, γιατί να το σβήσεις;
Όχι, καλέ!

[Frederique]

:) https://www.translatum.gr/forum/index.php?topic=54630.0 :)

Μην το σβήνεις, θα το φτιάξουμε :)