The big pothole


I was walking back from the station and coming over the crossing noticing the hole in the road. I happen to think that with the chronic underfunding of well just about everything, but particularly in this instance the Devon County Highways department, about the hole I could see. A very obliging driver stopped watching me take a photo of it and then giving me the thumbs up as I crossed. It’s a bit difficult to see just how big it is. 


My thinking turned to – you know those times when you hit a pothole. Travelling along and then an almighty thump as you realise that you did not see this hole in front of you and wonder what sort of damage it done/doing to wheels and tires. I am sure that I hear somewhere that the council have a fund that is more than the budget allocated for repairs, for compensation for the damage done and claimed for. 


It made me think in the rather tangential way I do that this might be a familiar kind of feeling for me. Life just seems to be going along and then wham! I hit a pothole, and all the anxiety is back going round my head. And I don’t really remember the pothole sitting there in the path I travel. I think that there will always be holes in out lives, always worries, some it is true will not be simple and complexity can make things more difficult. I also think why the havens don’t I just fill in the hole? I guess that is something again we all have a go at, a new this or a little of that or let the music play a bit louder, more money a treat; not bad but it’s not going to get the hole filled. Nope, that’s going to take a bit of a work crew and some deeper repair. The reality is that in doing the harder work a better path will be created. 


I guess that we could just pass over and carry on. The trouble that I find is that often opp’s here I am in the hole again. So that may not be the way to go either. Some holes take a long time to repair and are hard work, sweat and blood. In therapy its sometimes-called heart work.


In the series The West Wing1 Josh one of the characters has something of a meltdown and ends up in therapy. One of his co-workers is waiting for him when he comes out from the session. Josh is surprised to see him there. As an alcoholic in recovery, he tells Josh the story of the man in the hole.

A man walking along one day falls into a hole.

He cries for help and for a long-time people either don’t hear or look down and walk away. Help he cries. A face appears and asks what’s up.

“I’m stuck in this hole and can’t get out|

The other man looks down and then jumps in the hole.

“What the dickens” says the first man, “now we are both stuck in here”

“Yep” says his helper, “that’s true. But I know a way out.”



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Chris Rowberry 


  1. 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM56KXM4y4c

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