Posted on by Carrie Triffet

Five paragraphs that say it all

A dear friend recently shared this poem with me. If I could only write with such perfectly abbreviated clarity as this, my own book would’ve been approximately 351 pages shorter.
Autobiography in Five Short Chapters
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.
It takes forever to find a way out.

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.
~ Portia Nelson

8 Replies to “Five paragraphs that say it all”

  1. Dear Carrie,
    about recognizing the holes and walking aound them…I seem to be falling into the sameol’hole again and again – it has to do with me not being clear about the difference between “joining” and “being invaded”, or “used as garbage-can” – when there comes a dark memory, from child-rape, for instance, and I “see” the face of the rapist, how should I join, in order to not “become” him and be “eaten” –

    1. Dear you. Since you’ve mentioned joining, do I take it that you’re a student of the Course?
      Being no smarter or more scholarly than the next person, I’ve asked Spirit to answer this one (while I just supply the typing fingers.)
      All aspects of this dream world are equally illusory. And our perceptions of them are equally mistaken. So there are no crimes more heinous than any other ones, no wounds more unable to be healed than others. It all has no reality in Truth. That fact is actually the source of untold joy, because it means all pain, no matter how great, can be washed away by the same authentic experience of remembering the world’s innocence (and therefore our own.)
      There is no possibility of “being invaded” in truth, because it’s all You. Truly. And that You is beautiful. Perfect. And innocent of all crime or stain. But to get to that realization it’s absolutely necessary to look beyond the trauma you seem to have experienced.
      All I know is, I’m happier, freer, stronger and more at peace these days than I ever was before I started forgiving the world its sins against me. May you come to experience the same.

  2. Dear Spirit, thank you, and carrie for typing and taking the time – yes, I am a student since 86, and even though I have repeatedly throught these years been willing to forgive – realizing that I am the dreamer, dreaming it up to keep the separation going – there still seems to be something being glued to these themes – and now don’t know how to deal with that.
    leelah

  3. I could never tell you what I think you should do, I can only say what I would do if it were me.
    If in fact I felt it were unacceptable to be stuck any longer in this particular hell of my own choosing, and if I were genuinely determined to be free of it at last, I would sit myself down for a very serious prayer session.
    I would sincerely turn the whole issue over to Spirit, and state very clearly that I’m ready to be healed of it. And that I don’t care what cherished notions (or even current circumstances) I need to let go of in order to be truly free of it once and for all.
    I would promise not to concern myself with what needs to happen in order to free myself – that isn’t my business. I’ve already given it to Spirit. My only job is to release the emergency brake on the car so that the damn thing can go. And then to allow the healing shifts in perception as they come.
    It works when i do it. Your experiences may vary.
    xo
    Carrie

  4. Carrie, I will do this. Thank you so much. I have done something very much like it so many times, and this time I will do it this way. Some time it WILL heal, and this might be it. Thank you more than you ever will know for answering me.
    Leelah

  5. So what happened was that the dark onslaught in the night was if possible worse than ever – and that I, in the midst of feeling crushed and trapped, knew that since God was everywhere he would be here too. So I was a bit comforted by that and felt a little less crushed. That’s it. But removed? nope

    1. Yes, but bringing the memory of the truth into the dark dream of fear is more powerful than you know. How long can an illusion stand, when Truth keeps being brought in to light its dark corners?
      You’ve weakened it tremendously just by remembering God while in it. Keep doing that! big changes may not come all at once, but they have no choice but to come.

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