| Do you sometimes have the feeling that you're | | | | It still takes a long time to get out. |
| running into the same obstacles over and over again? | | | | 3) I walk down the same street. |
| Many of my conflicts have the same feel to them, | | | | There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. |
| like "Hey, I think I've been here before," but I can't | | | | I see it is there. |
| figure out how I wound up in the same place. The | | | | I still fall in . . . it's a habit |
| situation is different, but the conflict feels the same. | | | | My eyes are open |
| I first read this poem in "The Tibetan Book of Living | | | | I know where I am |
| and Dying" by Sogyal Rinpoche. When I "Googled" it, | | | | It is my fault. |
| I found fourteen pages of links. It's clearly a favorite | | | | I get out immediately. |
| with many people; I know it speaks volumes to me. | | | | 4) I walk down the same street. |
| "Autobiography in Five Chapters" | | | | There is a deep hole in the sidewalk |
| 1) I walk down the street. | | | | I walk around it |
| There is a deep hole in the sidewalk | | | | 5) I walk down another street. |
| I fall in. | | | | Does this feel familiar? I am ready to learn that |
| I am lost . . . I am hopeless. | | | | lesson! I'm sure that I've changed. I can see that hole |
| It isn't my fault. | | | | coming a mile away. This time it will be different. I still |
| It takes forever to find a way out. | | | | end up falling in. Tired, sad and angry, I drag myself |
| 2) I walk down the same street. | | | | up once again. What was I supposed to learn here? I |
| There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. | | | | thought I learned that the last time. |
| I pretend I don't see it. | | | | Some conflicts seem to take years to unravel, but if |
| I fall in again. | | | | we stay tuned, and our purpose is to look with |
| I can't believe I'm in the same place. | | | | curiosity and awareness, we will find the moment |
| But it isn't my fault. | | | | when we can step around the hole. |