Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

This is my kickoff post for National Adoption Month.  I am planning to tell you my adoption story from start to finish, or at least to where I am now.  I am going to break it up into several posts, starting with how I got to the point where I needed to consider the option of pursuing an adoption plan for my unborn child.  I am not quite ready to put it all out there yet, so for now, here is a poem that pretty aptly describes my pattern of decision-making back then:

Autobiography in Five Short Chapters

by Portia Nelson

Chapter One

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 Two

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 Three

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 . . . but,

my eyes are open.

I know where I am.

It is my fault.

I get out immediately.

Chapter Four

I walk down the same street.

There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it.

Chapter Five

I walk down another street.

Copyright 1993 Portia Nelson

This was me 20 years ago.  I will tell you more about my choices then in future posts.  Sorry, Mom.  It is probably going to be a little more info than you might want to know.