Thursday, August 13, 2015

Laying down the pieces

It's been ages since I last posted anything on this blog...  I've occasionally felt guilty about that fact. I mean, if you're going to start a blog you better be ready to keep posting, right? People aren't going to follow you unless you have something to share...

But for a number of months now I haven't felt like I could put my thoughts into words or my experiences into stories... The thought would cross my mind but I had difficulty unraveling what I was processing and so I went silent... choosing to honor the season I was in and the lack of creative juices.

I now realize I've been in the midst of a major transition - trying to understand what took place during my first 2+ years here in Uruguay and searching for a vision for the future. 

And today it dawned on me - I've been trying to put together a puzzle!

I don't know which "method" you might use when linking all the little pieces together in order to "create" the picture that's been glued to the surface of the cardboard. For me, I've always followed the same pattern:

  • First, find the four corners. (I've never attempted to put together any round puzzles - there's no way to start!)
  • Next, pull out all of the edge pieces and slowly link them together. (Yes, straight edges are a must for me!)
  • Then, sort the remaining pieces by color and other details...
  • And then begin the hunt-and-peck process...
  • Until the last piece is laid!!
I must confess, I'm not much of a puzzler... I usually bow out of the process for the most time-consuming fourth bullet point and re-emerge for the last twenty or so pieces. I don't naturally have the patience or perseverance that a good puzzler needs to have... 

And that also translates into the fact that I often struggle when navigating a transition. It can take me awhile to find the corner pieces... and place the edge... not to mention the entirety of the remaining "puzzle"!

But eventually the understanding and clarity fall into place. I am able to recognize what I have learned from the past and begin to identify what I hope for the future until...

The picture has taken shape, the puzzle is complete and I can move forward.