#26 Street Walking

I saw this poem many years ago in a Trevose Behavior Modification monthly newsletter. I keep it pinned to the bulletin board above my desk and every once in a while I take it down and read it. This poem could be about anything. Perhaps Ms. Nelson wrote it about procrastination or drinking or smoking, but for me, it's about dieting and weight control. I don't know this author personally, but I hope that she "continues to walk down another street".

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

by Portia Nelson

-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

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 am in the same place

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 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

What I can share about my "street walking" is that although I too have found another street, I sometimes decide to take the short cut and find myself back in the hole. It's very frustrating and I get down on myself for my inability to keep to my healthy eating and exercise regime. Knowing all that I know about keeping a healthy lifestyle, I ask myself, How can you let this happen.... again? I think I finally found the right answer. I can let this happen because I'm human, and not superhuman. I recently responded to two different blogs. In one, I told the writer to stop being so hard on herself and in the other, I told the blogger that we all have good and bad days and that hopefully [when it comes to dieting] there are more good than bad. I need to take my own advice.

I am a positive person. I am a strong person. I am a hungry person. I will fall into the hole on occasion, but most of the time I know which streets to go around. However, I'm thinking that my future should have more Avenues, Lanes and Drives.....