To Be Clear
I am writing exactly one week since the shocking and tragic rioting in the US Capitol. The House  has voted for a second Presidential impeachment, the National Guard is gearing up for more violence, we’ve just set a new daily record for COVID deaths and vaccine rollouts are not going smoothly. It’s fair to say nerves are on high alert.

A 500-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
turns out to be an excellent escape. I’ve never done one before and I’m learning a few lessons.

We’re All Part of a Puzzle
COVID is surely teaching us how interrelated we are, and need to be. We’re all feeling the pain and loneliness of isolation on some level. Each weirdly shaped one of us is interrelated to and interlocks with other weirdly shaped ones of us. And it is only together that we produce a complete picture: of family, friends, work teams, committees, neighborhoods, communities.

Big Picture: Small Pieces
It’s impossible to do this puzzle without constantly looking at the picture of the completed image for inspiration and guidance. We know daily tasks and endless emails and meetings can feel overwhelming, even meaningless, without knowing the why. 

The clearer we understand the why, the easier it is to feel each step and action is moving us in some direction, towards something. Otherwise, what’s the point? Keep reminding those around you of the Big Picture and of how everyone’s small pieces are contributing to a greater whole.

Bridging the Gap
One of the most satisfying moments in doing the puzzle (cue wild yells of joy) is when I find a piece that connects one completed area to another. It bridges the gap, literally, and gives me a whole new area to start working. I look at this ONE piece, think about one step, and how pivotal it can be to my forward momentum. LOVE when that happens!

A Fresh Eye
I’m often totally stuck (They cut the pieces wrong! They left a piece out of the package!) Then, the next morning, I swing by the coffee table where the puzzle is laid out and where I was laboring the previous night with growing frustration and dwindling results.

I glance at the puzzle, idly pick up a piece and pop it right into its spot. What I could NOT see the night before is right there in front of my face. I believe it’s called getting perspective on the problem.

Stay strong, My Friends. Be healthy and well.
Better days are ahead…

PS: My puzzle comes from pieceworkpuzzles.com. They include a curated Spotify playlist, matching your puzzle theme, to listen to while you puzzle. Very cool.

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