Put Your Life Together One Piece At A Time
My daughter found herself in unexpected (!) emergency surgery on July 4 – a big holiday here in the US. I’m guessing it will forever have its own memories for her….
She pulled out, figuratively speaking – (a friend did the reaching), a 750 piece puzzle to keep her busy that first week home. Puzzles are so magnetic and tempting, aren’t they? Everyone that came to visit was drawn to it. “Just one piece”, it seemed to beg, “just find one piece that will make me more whole.”
My daughter got so frustrated with it. Lots of blues, grays, browns. She was certain there were pieces missing (there weren’t). One day she held a piece and said “why don’t they work?” Indeed.
What I experienced while helping out was this:
- When I tried too hard, it just would not work. (Attachment)
- When I came back “just to see,” it was like I had a new pair of eyes and several pieces just spoke to me, almost as if telling me where it lived and should be placed. (Guidance)
- Little by little, the whole picture came together. Not necessarily how or when I wanted it to. (Trust Faith)
The coming together of this beautifully detailed puzzle showed me that the most linear way of completing any puzzle is to complete the edges. And that’s not even that easy! After the framework, or structure (or idea, goal, dream) is created, then you can fill it in. It won’t be a linear creation. Pieces (people, events, ideas) will come to you in their own time. Maybe not now, but in 30 minutes, 3 days, 30 days, 3 months.
Each time I sat down to work on the puzzle these ideas coursed through me. I, too, wondered if a piece or two was missing. But in the end, the result was utterly and completely complete and beautiful.
~ Are you frustrated about something just not coming together the way you’d envisioned, hoped, wanted?
~ Are you just so sure you missed out on an opportunity and that’s that – with no hope for another opportunity at your door step?
Pull out a puzzle – a more complicated one – and complete it with the intention of experiencing how all the pieces do, in the end, all come together.
I’d love for you to share your thoughts, experiences, insights.