“If we only knew how uniquely beautiful the finished puzzles of our lives will look, maybe we’d worry less about the pieces that, in the moment, don’t seem to fit.”
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I don’t know about you, but I always thought those who had an affinity for and were highly-skilled at putting together complex jigsaw puzzles were a little strange. You know the folks I’m talking about – the ones who can dump out a pile of 10,000 tiny, misshapen, all looking basically the same pieces of cardboard on a table one day and two weeks later be proudly hanging a beautifully-shellacked finished version of the puzzle on their living room wall like it’s a piece of art! In retrospect, however, I should have been envious of The Puzzlers, because, perhaps even unbeknownst to them, while I and the rest of my friends were spending beautiful Saturday afternoons at a South Florida beach, they were hunched over a puzzle at home, busy honing a skill set that, once mastered, would significantly increase the likelihood that they would live a healthy, happy and fulfilling life, especially when the pieces of it don’t seem to neatly fit together.
What secrets do they know that the rest of us missed out on?
- Puzzlers keep a picture of what they want the finished product to look like in the forefront of their mind at all times. One of the first things any Puzzler worth their salt does, before even starting to put a puzzle together, is carefully study the image on the outside of thebox. In fact, many choose the puzzle because the image appeals to them either aesthetically, thematically or in its seeming complexity. Ask them and they will tell you that it is imperative that they have a clear picture of their goal in mind before they start the often tedious process of putting the puzzle together and that they keep that image in front of them at all times. We would be well-advised to do the same before beginning the arduous task of putting the pieces of our lives back together. Maybe it’s as simple as finding a picture of a happier, healthier, more simplistic time in our past that we’re fighting to return to or maybe it’s an image of a new beginning – a fresh start. Either way, it’s critical that we see the finish line clearly and not let it out of our sight until all of the pieces are securely in place.
Puzzlers recognize that a strong foundation and well-defined boundaries are essential first steps to the eventual completion of the puzzle.
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- Puzzlers are not intimidated by the number of pieces that need to be put in place or the apparent complexity of the task. Too often in life we become overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks on our plate at a particular moment in time. That’s especially true when we find ourselves confounded by brokenness or darkness and the thousands of seemingly ill-fitting pieces that often accompany them. Viewed as a whole, the tasks are intimidating to the point of paralysis. We feel stuck – unable to move forward. The Puzzler understands that completing a puzzle begins by putting the first piece in place – any piece – and then proceeding one piece at a time until the ultimate goal is achieved. At times, the process, defined by trial and error, is painstakingly slow and frustrating. Other times, for no apparent reason,several pieces fall into place in quick succession. Eventually, however, each piece finds its home – and so it is with the “pieces of us”.
- Puzzlers understand how critical it is to first establish a strong foundation and well-defined boundaries. Watch most Puzzlers ply their craft and, almost without exception, you will notice that they begin by ensuring that the pieces that ultimately will form the borders of the finished puzzle are put in place first. Even though the task is among the hardest aspects of completing a puzzle and, consequently, the most time-consuming (mainly because the pieces used to form the boundaries all look the same!!!), Puzzlers recognize that a strong foundation and well-defined boundaries are essential first steps to the eventual completion of the puzzle. Similarly, there is no short-cut to establishing and maintaining the boundaries that are an integral part of putting the ill-fitting pieces of our lives in their proper place so that we can continue to move forward – one purposeful, hope-filled step at a time.
- Puzzlers know that all of the pieces of the puzzle are equally essential to the whole. Puzzlers understand a simple truth that we too often lose sight of as human beings: Each piece of the puzzle has its place and each is an indispensable part of what ultimately will be the finished product. Stated otherwise, no one piece of a puzzle is more or less important than the one that preceded it or the one that will follow it. Too often, in life, we tend to give great weight to discreet events – usually negative ones – and, in doing so, we vest them with far more power over us than they deserve. The next time you’re inclined to do that, remember: Whatever “the piece”, however ill-fitting or inexplicable it may seem in the moment, when all is said and done, it will still be just one piece among the millions of pieces that will make you who you are!
They identify a need, double check the image they are striving to achieve, scour the landscape of available pieces…
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- Puzzlers make wise choices, but remain flexible and ready to make others, if necessary. As a rule, Puzzlers don’t like to dally. They identify a need, double check the image they are striving to achieve, scour the landscape of available pieces in search of one that their instincts suggest will be a perfect fit and give every side of the piece they select an opportunity to fill that need. If it does, they relish the moment and move on. If it doesn’t, they simply make another choice, knowing that, eventually, they’ll get it right. And so it should be with the puzzles of our lives when ill-fitting pieces appear: We should strive to make wise decisions, based on the best information available (and our instincts); give those choices every reasonable chance to succeed, but always remain flexible and willing to repeat the process if necessary.
- Puzzlers appreciate the power of patience and perseverance. Enough said!
Photo Credit: Liza