Emerging
Courageous Online Magazine - Stories
The
Puzzle Of Life
I must admit, I really enjoyed the puzzle. Although very frustrating at
times, it was a challenge. Each time I found a piece that fit, it was
extremely rewarding.
Have you ever realized how many similarities there are between puzzles
and life? In a puzzle each piece plays such an important part in the big
picture. In life, it’s people and events who play the important parts. As
with pieces in a puzzle, each of us are unique, special in our own way.
Although we may appear similar, there are no two alike. Ironically it’s our
differences that make us fit.
While I was working on this puzzle, there was one piece that I was sure
belonged in this particular spot. But it didn’t fit. I just kept going back
to it and trying to make it fit, forgetting that I tried it already. I guess I
had my mind set on the fact that I felt it belonged there.
I thought about how many times I’ve done that in my life. Tried to
make things happen that just weren’t meant to be. I’d try over and over
again even to the point of forcing it – but it wasn’t meant to be… and
nothing I did changed that.
If you do many puzzles, you’ll know what it’s like to spend so much
time looking for one specific piece. I thought I knew what it looked like, it
seemed so obvious… but I couldn’t find it. I got so wrapped up into
finding that one piece that I couldn’t see beyond it. I got frustrated and
decided to let it go and step away from it for a while. When I came back to it
later, I found it immediately. It was right in front of me all along.
Life has been like that for me sometimes. I try so hard to understand
why things happen the way they do. I search high and low for the answers and
sometimes the answers are right in front of me. It isn’t until I stop, take
a step back, breathe and let it go – that the answers find me.
As I sat there looking at the pieces in this puzzle, I started thinking
about the “pieces” in my life: my family, my friends, events, milestones
and celebrations. There’s such a mixture of good and bad, joy and tears,
happiness and sorrow.
I thought about all those pieces that I didn’t feel were important or
had purpose. I reflected on all those pieces in my life that caused me to ask
why… “Why me, God?”… “Why this?”.
I suddenly realized that it was because of those pieces that other
pieces were able to fall into place.
Everything in our lives happens for a reason. Each event, whether good
or bad, signifies a piece of the puzzle. You take away one piece and it upsets
the entire harmony of the finished product. I finally understand that even
though some of the pieces in my life aren’t pleasant and many of them bring
me pain and heartache, without them I couldn’t move on. No matter how
unimportant I think they are, they bring me one step closer to wholeness.
We can’t possibly look at the pieces of our lives right now and
understand the important role that each one of them plays, there are too many
holes and the picture isn’t clear. But I know that when my journey in this
life comes to an end, and that final piece is put into place, I’m going to
look back and understand. I’ll no longer wonder why there was so much pain,
or why certain people came and went in my life. And I’ll be able to see the
complete picture and the beauty that went into each piece that made it whole.
Until then, I will continue to live on in faith. Knowing and trusting
that all the pieces that I need are there and that it only takes a matter of
time before they fall into place. Remembering that there is a big picture, a
plan for me, that I’m unable to see right now. Believing that each piece of
my life, even the painful ones, have purpose and play an important role. And
when I’m weak, I will seek strength through prayer. I do all this in hopes
that on that glorious day, when Gods masterpiece of me is finally complete, He
will then whisper… “Well done”.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wrknprogress/
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