The following poem has always been one of my favorites.
Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
by Portia Nelson
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.
Chapter 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 am in the 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.
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.
Cool! I didn’t know this was a poem. I saw it as an illustration some years ago – five drawings of a person falling into a pit and eventually just staying far away from the pit. It’s a fabulous illustration of the process of getting free of any addiction.