Life’s Puzzling Journey
Life is a puzzle we each work to solve. Every piece represents a decision, and finding the right fit is a process that shapes who we become.
We come into this world with a very large puzzle box with no picture on the cover to follow. Upon birth, the pieces are dumped in the air around us, floating within our aura until we grab one that we think might fit where we are in life. As we grow up, the borders of our values and morals form around us, giving us a sense of who we are and what our completed puzzle might look like. Throughout life, piece by piece, we create the picture on the box. Each decision is a piece. In this way, our life's journey unfolds much like assembling a puzzle without a guide.
I know two really good puzzlers in my life, and they both have their own systems for solving puzzles quickly. For example, the first person completes the border, then works on one area at a time, based on the picture on the box. Like colors together, words that go together, etc. She is excellent at seeing patterns, but she needs the picture as a guide. In contrast, the other person can put it together without looking at the picture on the box. She just turns it over and looks at what is in front of her. She actually competes in competitions and does well. These contrasting approaches remind me of the different ways we each approach life as we fit our own puzzles together.
When I look at a puzzle, I need the picture on the box, the printed image, and the border pieces sorted. Facing the scattered, unrecognizable pieces feels like a challenge to me.
Looking at all the leftover pieces laid out in front of me. What order do we place them? Do we look at groupings that make up different chapters in our lives? Do we place a nice, neat border around first as an indicator or declaration of the boundaries of our life? Do we worry about the one that drops on the floor and the dog eats before we can pick it up?
As I enter a new decade and phase in my life, I am looking at a lot fewer pieces around me to grab and see if they fit. Most of the puzzle of my life has been completed. I see the richness of all I have lived in the puzzle: the cherished childhood, the love in my marriage, the joy of my children and grandchildren, the sadness in the deaths of those I loved. My puzzle has shifted from a group project to a solo one. In reflecting on these changes, I realize it’s all part of life’s puzzle.
Each remaining puzzle piece is a choice. Some fit, some don’t. Mistakes are part of the process—when a piece doesn't fit, let it go and try another. This is how we continue shaping our lives, one thoughtful decision at a time.
Whereas in the past I may have simply reached for the next piece without much thought, now I sense the need to be more deliberate and intentional about what I place on my evolving puzzle. This newfound intention marks my entry into a more deliberate and mindful phase.
If I could choose, the rest of my puzzle would depict a beautifully peaceful scene, with a sense of love and community. A soft flow from one new scene to another. No more drama or anger in this puzzle. The life I have in front of me will be as carefully crafted as I can. I know that the dogs might steal a piece or two, leaving little gaps, but that’s ok. We all need a little space in our lives.
Wishing you the most lovely puzzle ever.
Jill
4/21/26
At Liberty Connections Farm
