Autobiography in Five Chapters

The following is quoted in the luminous, inspiring book The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche. This poem is by Portia Nelson:

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.

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I love this poem. I think it is something everyone could relate to, and I love how it sums up the turbulent back-and-forth process of psychological and spiritual growth. In the short term it is difficult to see oneself making progress, but over long periods of time the pattern of progress becomes more clear. When I think of how I was in the distant past, compared to how I am today, it is amazing how far I've come. It is also amazing how far I still have to go before I achieve complete enlightenment and a perfect, integral personality... :)