Life as a Puzzle: in pieces and in peace
Reading time: 2 minutes Collecting dust on the shelf, a puzzle collection. Black kids with beaming faces of carefree light and abundant love. I bought it a while ago. A no-brainer investment, Puzzles of Color supports and spotlights local artists.
Puzzles are good for the brain. They reinforce brain cell connections, improves mental speed and short term memory. Bonus points for being a tech-free mood and connection booster.
Puzzles became a calm I never knew I needed. When life gets too busy, I feel it in my bones. Clenched jaw, tight [tech] neck, shallow breathing…exhausted. In these moments, even when shifts feel mounting and stressful, I choose ways to slow down. These practices are still a work in progress. To find more ease, my practices include breathwork, body stretches, and affirmations.
A moment with puzzles
Days when work felt too long and deadlines looming, I took intermittent breaks and started the puzzles. Puzzle-making calmed me. It gifted me time to think critically about something less urgent, yet joy-filled.
After school, Kaiden joined me. His eye to finding pieces, trying one way, shifting directions, and starting over again reminded me of life. Taking breaks helped us find more pieces that came together. We praised each other even when one simple piece connected another.
“I think they’re hugging because they grew the flowers or one of them growed [sic] them or they’re hugging the flowers because they think its a forest.”
What I love most about this moment was how connected it felt. We built something together. We tried, we failed, we took breaks, but more importantly, we didn’t give up. The result was a masterpiece or perhaps, master peace.
May we know both.
Life as a puzzle.
Sometimes undone.
Fully undone.
Sometimes one missing piece.
A jagged edge
A smoother side
Rounding the corners
A breeze coming together
Maybe
But finding the pieces inside
Lost and unknown
Watching
Waiting
For moments to connect
Pieces to be
To be whole
What a masterpiece.
There's love in pieces.
There's love in peace.
--- documenting April 2023 ---
#life #moments #joy
Puzzle set by @puzzlesofcolor
Website: https://www.puzzlesofcolor.com/
