Puzzle of Life

At least a year ago I bought a puzzle at K-Mart. Never opened it. I like to do a puzzle around Christmas time, we did that almost every year at our house when I was growing up. Now, haven't done one for a few years. In January I decided to get that puzzle out and do it. 1000 piece, took me 7 days. Working on it on and off, usually while watching Forensic Files, I am a fan of the multi-tasking. Had so much fun I needed to continue. I had a ton of Forensic Files taped and instead of just sitting and watching it, which seems like I am being unproductive, I was going to do puzzles too. A friend of mine and her hubby had just had a puzzle kick as well and she had three 1000 piece ones ready for me to borrow. Two took me 7 days each and one took me 3 days. I am not trying to bore you with details, but there is a reason for my timelines here. As I am working on puzzles I kind of like to do it alone. Just because I get in weird moods where I sort things certain ways and whatever. I am not against help, but I do like things a certain way. Every now and then one of my sons would come and help and put a piece in and I would even think "Ugh, now I didn't do the whole thing myself." Like there was some puzzle prize awaiting me. One of my sons really likes puzzles, so it did become our thing to do together. Anyway, as I am working on the puzzle it made me think of how a puzzle could be compared to life. We all are our own puzzle and sometimes we need help, sometimes we need to work on our own. Sometimes we don't want help. Sometimes we just want to be independent and show that we can do it! (I did show Ryan Klein a puzzle I completed in three days and he did ask me if I wanted a prize and clapped for me. Again, not sure what I was going for here but I was proud of completing that one....) After those three were completed another friend brought 4 to my office. Three 1000 piece and one 2000 piece. I asked my puzzle loving son to pick one. He at first chose a real nice 1000 piece waterfall. Then decided to chose the Thomas Kinkade, real beautiful 2000 piece puzzle. This one might be the puzzle that either makes me never do a puzzle again, or just makes sure I never do a 2000 puzzle again. I have spent SO MUCH TIME working on it. It is on my dining room table, taking up the whole thing. I have two card tables with pieces and I have several of my baking sheets full of pieces. It is puzzle mania in my dining room. Ryan Klein is going crazy because it is taking up so much room, and has taken up so much time. Rightfully so. I can't stop. I now look at this puzzle as a challenge and if I just box it up after not completing it I feel like a dud. Remember, I have compared puzzles to life so now I am sucked into thinking about it WAY TOO MUCH. This puzzle has led me to ask for help. A lot. To almost anyone really. In fact my sister and mom came over to help and it didn't take long until the consensus was "This one is going to take you awhile." Which makes me circle around again and think about my life as a puzzle. There were times I needed help, a lot of help, and I needed it for awhile, not just a quick phone call. So now, I will continue to sit and complete this puzzle which I know will be satisfying in the end but maybe at the cost of my sanity. I am on week two and I am hoping to complete this one in a month. Hmm. Maybe I should change my mindset on this one. It isn't how long it takes me, it's about the journey. Life is truly like a puzzle. Sometimes we feel like a piece is missing and sometimes we really do have it all together.