Life Puzzle, Part 3

Part of the fun of piecing together picture puzzles was working together with other family members. A lot of my experience happened on vacation while visiting my grandmother in Virginia in the 1950s and 1960s. Except for radios, black and white televisions were the only electronic entertainment devices available, and the selection of programs was limited to three stations. We found ways to entertain ourselves, and picture puzzles were part of our heritage. We could solve the same puzzle over and over.

We sat around a table, talked about life, and tried out one piece after another until connections were made, on and off the table. I learned the importance of family, of working together, and of watching over one another. My great-grandmother was still alive and she often joined us. She would study, pick up a piece, try it in a location, and then ask, “Does that fit there?” Most of the time it didn’t, but occasionally she made the right choice.

In our spiritual walk, we don’t have to solve the puzzle alone. It helps to have helping hands and hearts that help us make connections and build the pictures of our lives. Occasionally, someone comes along who seems to distract our attention by trying to make connections that don’t work. With grace, we kindly say, “No, that doesn’t go there. But, you were close. Keep trying.” We can work the puzzle alone, but we don’t have to, and why would we want to?