My biggest accomplishment of 2020 to date has been working two 1000-piece puzzles. Yes, I’ve still been working at Mosaics putting together the financial puzzle of sorts, but at home during all hours, I’ve been plugging away at The Best of Colorado and The Joy of Pets. To many that might not seem worthy of accomplishment status, but I can assure you my family feels joy when they see me slow down and work a puzzle. My daily life pace can become quite intense if I don’t stay mindful. I definitely need to work more cardboard puzzles and go easy on the life ones. And I’m in a season of not being able to focus (in other words, stay awake) on nightly reading material.
In working the puzzles this year, I have also cherished time around the table with my four-year-old grandson (he now gets the reward of putting in the very last piece after all his work picking up the fallen pieces) and with my daughter who was preparing to start her first job in the real world. It’s amazing how people of all ages walk by and just need to sit down and put some pieces together. Maybe working a puzzle is part of my work as a “recovering fixer.” I love to see all the pieces of something fit together nice and neatly in the end. Beauty in brokenness, I do say! During my work, I discovered an interesting misconception in my house. My husband walked by while there was a gathering around my puzzle and said he didn’t realize he was allowed to work my puzzle. I was glad I could clear up this misconception after 33 years. I guess we are still learning about each other. While many enjoy cherished alone time around a puzzle, I’m one of those that cherish others joining me.
I’m hoping that those of you reading this have found a calming activity for yourself in 2020 and that you find joy with others in it with you or in being alone with it for the quiet contemplative time. What I do know is that we must make this time for ourselves. It doesn’t just happen. And during this time, you just might have a sweet conversation with God like I have in 2020 about how good it feels surrendering to Him the big “fixing” in life, as that was always His anyway.
Happy 2020! Paige
