1000 jumbled puzzle pieces—

a metaphor for hope and life

The Puzzle © Kathryn LeRoy

Hello friends,

I spent the week with my cousins. Four sisters, our mothers, instilled in us a strong work ethic surpassed only by unparalleled determination.

We had one mission this week—a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle.

The pieces tumbled from the box in a clump of reds, greens, purples, and yellows. Where do we begin? Six heads huddled over the pile as twelve hands shuffled and sorted.

We matched colors, eyed the slight differences in the outies and innies, and lost track of time. The quest became all-encompassing. As we worked in tandem, edges took shape and soon snippets of the image materialized.

The jumble of colors and shapes made little sense at the beginning. Searching for each piece, frustrations soared at the potential loss only to find the missing piece under our feet. Relief.

Finally, in one collective sigh, we saw the end. Nothing compares to the thrill of placing that final piece. What seemed overwhelming was now complete and perfect.

It always seems impossible until it’s done. —Nelson Mandela © Kathryn LeRoy

Life is like that puzzle.

Every day is sort of a jigsaw puzzle. You have to make sure that you're putting the most important things first. —Julia Hartz

As we sorted through the colors and shapes, we looked for the borders, four corners, and sides. Those straight lines grounded us. In life, our values serve as the boundaries for how we live each day.

There are no extra pieces in the universe. Everyone is here because he or she has a place to fill, and every piece must fit itself into the big jigsaw puzzle. —Deepak Chopra

Every puzzle box contains all the pieces to stitch together an image. We may not always see or understand our purpose, but we are all interconnected with gifts only we can contribute to the universe.

The problem is that we always look for the missing piece of the puzzle instead of finding a place for the one in our hand. —Aina Radoi

How often do we search for meaning in all the wrong places? Our greatest longing may be right before us, but we ignore this precious moment. We miss the contentment, joy, and purpose hidden in our clenched hands.

Children astound me with their inquisitive minds. The world is wide and mysterious to them, and as they piece together the puzzle of life, they ask 'Why?' ceaselessly. —John C. Maxwell

My favorite two questions are “Why?” and “What if?” What a pity that we lose the playfulness and wonder of children. Curiosity keeps the mind active, creative, and open to new perspectives.

I wanna make a jigsaw puzzle that's 40,000 pieces. And when you finish it, it says “go outside.” —Demetri Martin

“Go outside and play!”

That may be the best advice we ever received as children. Just think of all the magic you found staring at the clouds, splashing in puddles, following ant trails, or sitting on the lake’s edge watching fish circles. We need more of that.

Sunset Fishing © Kathryn LeRoy

In life and puzzles, Never Give Up—You Don’t Know What Surprise Awaits.

Puzzles are more than a pastime and have a long history of bettering our lives.

A few puzzle melodies as you tackle your next jigsaw: “Puzzle Pieces,  Jigsaw Puzzle of Life, and Puzzle Peace.”

“We are all beautiful and magical puzzles made up of so many tiny pieces and parts. Without just one of them, something would be missing and we would not be whole … Every single piece fits perfectly.”
― Camille Lucy

Find a little wonder this week, tackle a jigsaw puzzle, any puzzle, or play outside dancing in the wildflowers!

Wildflower © Kathryn LeRoy

With gratitude,

Kathryn

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