The Puzzle

How many pieces make up a puzzle, I wonder?

Do you stop when you can see the picture,

or do you look at it?

Puzzles come in boxes in stores,

with the number of pieces marked on the side

but where do the puzzles of life come from?

are they neatly packaged somewhere,

with the number of pieces on the side?

Are the puzzle pieces occasionally stuck together?

Little givens in life that save time and energy?

No!

I don’t think that is how life’s puzzles are.

In life the pieces are scattered on the floor,

everyone’s pieces to everyone’s puzzle,

and there are never two pieces stuck together.

So how do we put life’s puzzles together?

It is only by interaction that we can find our pieces,

only by helping others that we all have our puzzle pieces.

And if life, always look at the picture as it is being built.

We’ll never see the whole picture,

but admire all the pieces that go into it just the same.

Your part and my part will soon go into the mosaic of history

to be lost in the sea of bright splashes and cool tones.

So, admire your puzzle and others

and keep trying to finish the picture.