Life is like a jigsaw puzzle
Adwait, my younger son, wants to become a sportsman. We, like usual parents want him to study first, score good marks and then think about other options. We met Dr. Supriya Kurlekar madam to get some headways on this day to day battle between parents and kid. She just gave Adwait a jigsaw puzzle of 500 pieces to solve and told all of us to discuss the matter after we completed the puzzle. Of course, majority of the work to solve the puzzle was to be done by Adwait.
Finally, the puzzle was completed after many twists, turns, support and guidance. Following are the conclusions I drew from this incident which, I realized, exactly match our real life scenario.
1. Life is made of many small moments like the odd shapes in jigsaw puzzle.
2. Where we start and how we complete are totaly unrelated
3. We have to develop a habit of looking at the bigger picture while still keeping our focus on enjoying every moment of fixing each piece.
4. We need to sort and arrange pieces before we begin so are our priorities in life.
5. Help from everyone plays a vital role and it is never a one man’s job.
6. The process of construction is messy but enjoyble and the moment of glory is always temporary.
7. Every piece of the puzzle is important and it is incomplete even if one piece is lost.
8. One needs to break the puzzle and keep each piece properly so that someone again can learn from your experience.
9. When you are stuck experts solve issues quickly
10. Life is a jigsaw puzzle. Enjoy connecting every piece.
11. Sometimes, two pieces that look similar, fit in very different places.
12. You need space to solve the puzzle. If you congest yourself, you’ll never be able to finish it.
13. We have to create a framework on which we build the puzzle.
14. Seeing only the obvious is not enough.
15. Most importantly, in life we have no ready-made pieces. We have to find and make our own unique ones and slowly put them together. Their places and colours may change.
Thank you Dr. Supriya Kurlekar madam, we are indebted to you for this experience of profound wisdom.