Human Jigsaw Puzzle

Have you ever felt like life is one gigantic jigsaw puzzle and you are missing a bunch of pieces? 

Maybe it's just me, but lately this is the way I've been feeling.

Maybe it's because I am a seeker and always looking for answers to the big questions such as: What is the meaning of life? Is what I am doing purposeful? And, why does my cat Jade like to bite all the electrical cords and cables in my house despite having a myriad of expensive cat toys to chew on?

Or maybe it's because that is the way life is for all of us. Mysterious. Unpredictable. Dumfounding. And yet, absolutely beautiful. 

I've had extra time to think lately as I recently spent six weeks convalescing from a trifecta of Covid, then bronchitis, and then bacterial pneumonia. I got a bunch of jigsaw puzzles from my mom---eight of them ranging up to 2,000 pieces each--to keep me occupied. I just completed the last one. I used to love doing these as a kid. I found them meditative and soothing for my mind and spirit. And fun. And I feel that way again.

There is something magical about this process. I work on the puzzle for hours a day and then right when I finish, I take it all apart. All those hours and pieces gone within seconds.

Life is indeed a mystery even when we think we have all the pieces. I realize I like being guided by surprise, following the pieces and the unveiling of the grand picture, one by one. And letting it all go, not trying to hold on to it. The more we can embrace the mystery of life and let go of our past, the more present we become. Life is only ever happening right now. The past and future often feel like those missing pieces, but we don't really need them. 

There is so much in this life that I don’t know, and there are certainly some missing pieces in my human jigsaw puzzle. What I do know is that more and more I am learning to embrace the puzzle of life and be present for it all, the ups and downs, and all the unexpected turns. Isn't that the good stuff, anyway?

With pieces and pieces of love,