Putting Together the Pieces

I love this piece of art.

I’ve had it for almost 30 years, after seeing it in the lobby of an upscale Prague hotel.

The puzzle was being used as a coffee table, it’s whimsical creatures and bright colors a perfect contrast to the hotel’s modern interior.

I knew I would be moving back to the States soon and wanted to bring this piece of art with me – a memento of the city I had called home for 5 years.

The price was more than I could afford, but I bought it anyway.

One of the advantages of buying art that is also a jigsaw puzzle is that it can be broken down and packed into a box.

We did just that, and although I’ve lived in a few different houses since then, that puzzle has always been an important part of the decor. Because we haven’t had the luxury of an enormous open space in which to use it as a tabletop, it’s always been prominently placed on one of our walls.

The other day I noticed the adhesive was starting to come unstuck, and I made a comment to my husband. “We have to do something about this,” I said.

Then we went about our lives, always planning to do those fixes later, until one day we heard a giant CRASH.

Our beloved puzzle was strewn all over the floor and as we picked up the pieces I was struck by how this is a metaphor for the way life can crash down around you, especially when you choose to ignore the cracks in your foundation.

Now we’re in the process of putting our puzzle back together and there’s something therapeutic in the process of cleaning all the pieces and placing them in the right spot. What looked like a mess just days ago is coming back together even better than it was before.

The pieces are shinier and the foundation is stronger.

Something like life, I think. Bumps in the road will happen and we may fall apart from time to time, but at the end of it all you just dust yourself off and keep going.

Somewhere along that journey your GRIT becomes a part of your foundation.

If you’re serious about creating change in your life and are interested in learning how you can work one-on-one with Elin, book a discovery session today.