My grandmother loved working jigsaw puzzles. I have special memories of her working them. She continued to love working them all of her life. I can vividly recall watching her put them together when her ability to so began to diminish. I would be thinking that there was no way she would ever be able to complete the one she was working on. Yet, somehow, she always seemed to finish it. I believe she is the primary influence in my life responsible for my love of working puzzles.
What if life is like a puzzle? I know this metaphor for life is not original to me. But I would like to expand on this concept a bit. I would like to make some suggestions that have occurred to me and also invite you to explore fresh ramifications of it that might come to your mind.
What if, as a puzzle, life differs in a very significant way from the boxed ones you have worked? The one you took out of that box had a definite border and a set number of pieces. When all of those pieces are put together the puzzle is complete. What if life shares the process of fitting pieces together but does not really have a set number of pieces or a finished status? What if there are no definite borders? What if the process is a life-long work in progress that has ramifications that continue long past the time that we transition out of our present life?
Like a puzzle, sometimes we are able to fit pieces of life together quickly and in meaningful ways. Sometimes we struggle for long periods of time and seem to make very little or no headway. Sometimes we may be experiencing both of these things at the same time, just in different areas of our ongoing life. We also may have those times we thought we had the pieces together correctly only to realize that we needed to dismantle some pieces and fit them together differently. Again, let me invite you to continue considering the ramifications in ways that will be more helpful to you.
I offer these thoughts that life, like a puzzle, can be a fascinating and rewarding adventure in spite of inevitable frustrations. When it gets tough we can know we can get through it. If it gets overwhelming don’t be afraid to call on trusted people to help you get past where you find yourself stuck. This, honestly, is where I currently am in my own life as of the writing of this post. Seeing life in this way gives me a bit of hope that I can really use to not be overwhelmed by fear and despair.
My hope is that these thoughts might help you as you seek to fit the puzzle pieces of your life together.
Think about it.
You are loved - peace!
NOTE - Today's picture is of a vintage Guild 304 piece puzzle I purchased at a puzzle store in Northwoods, NH. These kinds of puzzles are the ones I most associate with my grandmother and I am always on the lookout for inexpensive ones of this kind to add to my collection.
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