April 4, 2025 • 11 mins
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In this episode, I reflect on what an unfinished jigsaw puzzle has taught me about uncertainty, direction, failure, and the quiet joy of discovering where things truly fit. If life has ever felt scattered or incomplete, this one’s for you. 💜🙏
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey there, let's start with a few questions.
What are you doing right nowthat feels too easy, or maybe
too hard or not quitechallenging enough?
And when things fall apart, doyou try to piece them back
(00:28):
together again or do you walkaway altogether?
How do you decide which piecesof your life to focus on when
everything feels scattered?
These are just a few of thequestions I've been pondering
(00:50):
about what my unfinished jigsawpuzzle teaches me, and I've come
up with a few insights thatmight resonate with you as you
consider your own life puzzle.
So there's a table at ourcottage that is perfect for
puzzles.
We found it in the basement, arelic from the 50s left behind
(01:13):
by its previous owner.
One person's trash, another'streasure.
It was love at first sightCoffee table height with
extendable leaves on both sides,and I knew exactly where to put
it by the window seat next tothe kitchen.
I have enjoyed countless happyhours playing there, listening
(01:34):
to jazz and nibbling on cheeseand crackers while dinner was
cooking.
Note if you're eating whilepuzzling, there's a very good
chance you'll bite a piece.
Are eating while puzzlingthere's a very good chance
you'll bite a piece.
I always have a puzzle going, nomatter the season and, aside
from our cat coming close todestroying it by skidding across
the table, it remains thereuntil it is complete, sometimes
(01:59):
weeks, usually months.
Even though the universal goalof puzzlers is to finish it, I'm
never in a hurry to get it done.
I find comfort knowing it'savailable to me when I want a
meditative reprieve or achallenge.
It offers me so many things.
You might say.
It's become a piece of my lifethat fits, and before you even
(02:25):
start choosing which puzzle youembark on, takes some
consideration.
For me, the image itself is ofultimate importance.
Well, not because I want todisplay it, which I never do.
I disassemble mine within daysand take it to Goodwill or share
it with a friend or neighbor.
I look for puzzles that tell astory.
If I'm going to devote time andenergy to something, I like to
(02:50):
get to know the characters andthe world they live in.
I'm drawn to scenes that arecolorful, with lots of detail.
There's nothing more satisfyingthan discovering the
fishmonger's missing hat orreuniting a mitten with the
rosy-cheeked snowballer in theholiday square.
The level of difficultydefinitely affects my degree of
(03:14):
engagement.
I quickly lose interest inpuzzles that are too easy and I
grow weary with the ones thatare too hard.
I find the ones with too muchof the same color especially
tedious.
I remember watching my momdoing one when I was a little
girl that was almost entirelyblue.
How patient she must have been.
There must have been thousandsof tiny pieces.
(03:38):
It was an underwater scene withschools of fish.
So, like Goldilocks, I look forpuzzles that are just right,
doable but challenging enough tokeep me interested.
Getting started can besimultaneously daunting and
exciting.
It's an investment of time,trust and willingness to learn,
(04:08):
of time, trust and willingnessto learn.
The moment when you open thebox with the image so
beautifully displayed on itscover, only to find it broken up
into 1,000 or more tiny pieces,can feel overwhelming.
It takes time to becomefamiliar with all the pieces, to
have a sense that things belongsomehow, but feel unsure how
they fit together.
Daunting To be comfortable with, not knowing.
(04:33):
It's the ultimate collaborationwhen you think about it, each
piece as vital as the next tocompleting the puzzle, all
coming together to create thewhole.
Oh, and PS never overlook thesignificance of each and every
piece.
Have you ever got to the end ofa puzzle and found there was one
(04:54):
missing?
How did that make you feel.
Where in your life might you bedisregarding the smaller,
seemingly insignificant piecesof your life puzzle?
I've learned that how youprepare affects the process.
I used to just dump the piecesout and dive in figuring things
(05:18):
out as I went along, and itworked well enough, but at the
end of the day I ended up with amess to clean up, not to
mention the need to protect myprogress from our marauding
felines.
I have since invested insorting trays and a plexiglass
cover to prevent any midnightcatastrophes.
But you know, everyone isdifferent, and doing it for a
(05:42):
while has helped me explore allthe different ways I might
proceed.
You can learn a lot aboutsomeone by how they approach
puzzle solving.
Everyone brings somethingdifferent to the table.
My mother-in-law fixates onassembling the framework, often
staying up long after we havesaid goodnight, making sure all
(06:05):
the edges are in place, and myadult daughter enjoys coming
along and chatting and poppingin a few pieces here and there,
in no particular sequence, andthen wandering off again.
My husband when I can actuallyget him to stop doing something
else, he's very intense.
I can actually get him to stopdoing something else.
(06:26):
He's very intense.
He puzzles in short spurts,racing to find pieces that fit
quickly, and when they don't, hetends to lose interest.
Sometimes I stare at the samepiece over and over and over,
trying to make sense out of it.
It never ceases to surprise anddelight me, though, when I
realize it's not what I thought.
It was at all.
(06:46):
Out of context, withoutreference to the other pieces,
it seems completely foreign, butonce it finally slips into
place, it's so obvious itcouldn't have been anything else
.
It couldn't have been anythingelse.
When have you found yourselfmaking judgments or assumptions
(07:08):
based on what you think thingsare, without considering the
whole picture?
I've also noticed there's acertain momentum that builds as
you near the end, and when it'sfinished it's often bittersweet.
I have a question for you howdo you experience the journey to
(07:31):
completion, and when you arriveor finish, does it always look
the way you thought that itwould?
You know?
It reminds me how important itis to understand and stay
connected to why, why we doanything and everything.
(07:52):
For me, when I first starteddoing jigsaws, it was about
family.
I envisioned us gathering atthe holidays and laughing and
chatting while we sat around thepuzzle, doing something
together, working toward acommon goal, and for a few
seasons.
That was true, but these days Ifind I enjoy puzzling even more
(08:18):
when I'm alone.
What is it that I like mostabout it?
Really, when I think about ithonestly, besides the inherent
meditative nature of it, I mostenjoy what puzzling has taught
me.
Here are just a few things I'velearned through my puzzle habit
(08:40):
that I now carry into otherareas of my life, puzzle habit
that I now carry into otherareas of my life.
It's harder to find somethingwhen you aren't sure what you
are looking for.
Things come more easily whenyou have a sense of direction.
Sense of direction, trying andgetting it wrong first is
(09:12):
exactly what leads to getting itright.
Recognizing patterns is anessential part of understanding
the the bigger picture.
Not finding the right fitactually leads you to where you
want to go.
Most profoundly, though,puzzling has taught me this the
(09:40):
places where we've tried andfailed often help us in the long
run, because we've been therebefore.
What doesn't feel like a fitright now may very well turn out
to be the missing piece thatconnects where we've been to
where we're going.
So these are just some of theinsights I've gathered, and I
(10:06):
invite you to try them on andsee what fits, or perhaps you'll
discover new ones that becomeessential pieces in your own
life puzzle.
I leave you with wise words ofDeepak Chopra, who reminds us I
leave you with wise words ofDeepak Chopra, who reminds us
(10:28):
there are no extra pieces in theuniverse.
Everyone is here because he orshe has a place to fill and
every piece must fit itself intothe big jigsaw puzzle.
What peace do you want to be?
I'm Lisa Hopkins.
(10:50):
Thanks so much for listening.
Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and remember to live in the
moment.
Hey there, let's start with a few questions.
What are you doing right nowthat feels too easy, or maybe
too hard or not quitechallenging enough?
And when things fall apart, doyou try to piece them back
(00:28):
together again or do you walkaway altogether?
How do you decide which piecesof your life to focus on when
everything feels scattered?
These are just a few of thequestions I've been pondering
(00:50):
about what my unfinished jigsawpuzzle teaches me, and I've come
up with a few insights thatmight resonate with you as you
consider your own life puzzle.
So there's a table at ourcottage that is perfect for
puzzles.
We found it in the basement, arelic from the 50s left behind
(01:13):
by its previous owner.
One person's trash, another'streasure.
It was love at first sightCoffee table height with
extendable leaves on both sides,and I knew exactly where to put
it by the window seat next tothe kitchen.
I have enjoyed countless happyhours playing there, listening
(01:34):
to jazz and nibbling on cheeseand crackers while dinner was
cooking.
Note if you're eating whilepuzzling, there's a very good
chance you'll bite a piece.
Are eating while puzzlingthere's a very good chance
you'll bite a piece.
I always have a puzzle going, nomatter the season and, aside
from our cat coming close todestroying it by skidding across
the table, it remains thereuntil it is complete, sometimes
(01:59):
weeks, usually months.
Even though the universal goalof puzzlers is to finish it, I'm
never in a hurry to get it done.
I find comfort knowing it'savailable to me when I want a
meditative reprieve or achallenge.
It offers me so many things.
You might say.
It's become a piece of my lifethat fits, and before you even
(02:25):
start choosing which puzzle youembark on, takes some
consideration.
For me, the image itself is ofultimate importance.
Well, not because I want todisplay it, which I never do.
I disassemble mine within daysand take it to Goodwill or share
it with a friend or neighbor.
I look for puzzles that tell astory.
If I'm going to devote time andenergy to something, I like to
(02:50):
get to know the characters andthe world they live in.
I'm drawn to scenes that arecolorful, with lots of detail.
There's nothing more satisfyingthan discovering the
fishmonger's missing hat orreuniting a mitten with the
rosy-cheeked snowballer in theholiday square.
The level of difficultydefinitely affects my degree of
(03:14):
engagement.
I quickly lose interest inpuzzles that are too easy and I
grow weary with the ones thatare too hard.
I find the ones with too muchof the same color especially
tedious.
I remember watching my momdoing one when I was a little
girl that was almost entirelyblue.
How patient she must have been.
There must have been thousandsof tiny pieces.
(03:38):
It was an underwater scene withschools of fish.
So, like Goldilocks, I look forpuzzles that are just right,
doable but challenging enough tokeep me interested.
Getting started can besimultaneously daunting and
exciting.
It's an investment of time,trust and willingness to learn,
(04:08):
of time, trust and willingnessto learn.
The moment when you open thebox with the image so
beautifully displayed on itscover, only to find it broken up
into 1,000 or more tiny pieces,can feel overwhelming.
It takes time to becomefamiliar with all the pieces, to
have a sense that things belongsomehow, but feel unsure how
they fit together.
Daunting To be comfortable with, not knowing.
(04:33):
It's the ultimate collaborationwhen you think about it, each
piece as vital as the next tocompleting the puzzle, all
coming together to create thewhole.
Oh, and PS never overlook thesignificance of each and every
piece.
Have you ever got to the end ofa puzzle and found there was one
(04:54):
missing?
How did that make you feel.
Where in your life might you bedisregarding the smaller,
seemingly insignificant piecesof your life puzzle?
I've learned that how youprepare affects the process.
I used to just dump the piecesout and dive in figuring things
(05:18):
out as I went along, and itworked well enough, but at the
end of the day I ended up with amess to clean up, not to
mention the need to protect myprogress from our marauding
felines.
I have since invested insorting trays and a plexiglass
cover to prevent any midnightcatastrophes.
But you know, everyone isdifferent, and doing it for a
(05:42):
while has helped me explore allthe different ways I might
proceed.
You can learn a lot aboutsomeone by how they approach
puzzle solving.
Everyone brings somethingdifferent to the table.
My mother-in-law fixates onassembling the framework, often
staying up long after we havesaid goodnight, making sure all
(06:05):
the edges are in place, and myadult daughter enjoys coming
along and chatting and poppingin a few pieces here and there,
in no particular sequence, andthen wandering off again.
My husband when I can actuallyget him to stop doing something
else, he's very intense.
I can actually get him to stopdoing something else.
(06:26):
He's very intense.
He puzzles in short spurts,racing to find pieces that fit
quickly, and when they don't, hetends to lose interest.
Sometimes I stare at the samepiece over and over and over,
trying to make sense out of it.
It never ceases to surprise anddelight me, though, when I
realize it's not what I thought.
It was at all.
(06:46):
Out of context, withoutreference to the other pieces,
it seems completely foreign, butonce it finally slips into
place, it's so obvious itcouldn't have been anything else
.
It couldn't have been anythingelse.
When have you found yourselfmaking judgments or assumptions
(07:08):
based on what you think thingsare, without considering the
whole picture?
I've also noticed there's acertain momentum that builds as
you near the end, and when it'sfinished it's often bittersweet.
I have a question for you howdo you experience the journey to
(07:31):
completion, and when you arriveor finish, does it always look
the way you thought that itwould?
You know?
It reminds me how important itis to understand and stay
connected to why, why we doanything and everything.
(07:52):
For me, when I first starteddoing jigsaws, it was about
family.
I envisioned us gathering atthe holidays and laughing and
chatting while we sat around thepuzzle, doing something
together, working toward acommon goal, and for a few
seasons.
That was true, but these days Ifind I enjoy puzzling even more
(08:18):
when I'm alone.
What is it that I like mostabout it?
Really, when I think about ithonestly, besides the inherent
meditative nature of it, I mostenjoy what puzzling has taught
me.
Here are just a few things I'velearned through my puzzle habit
(08:40):
that I now carry into otherareas of my life, puzzle habit
that I now carry into otherareas of my life.
It's harder to find somethingwhen you aren't sure what you
are looking for.
Things come more easily whenyou have a sense of direction.
Sense of direction, trying andgetting it wrong first is
(09:12):
exactly what leads to getting itright.
Recognizing patterns is anessential part of understanding
the the bigger picture.
Not finding the right fitactually leads you to where you
want to go.
Most profoundly, though,puzzling has taught me this the
(09:40):
places where we've tried andfailed often help us in the long
run, because we've been therebefore.
What doesn't feel like a fitright now may very well turn out
to be the missing piece thatconnects where we've been to
where we're going.
So these are just some of theinsights I've gathered, and I
(10:06):
invite you to try them on andsee what fits, or perhaps you'll
discover new ones that becomeessential pieces in your own
life puzzle.
I leave you with wise words ofDeepak Chopra, who reminds us I
leave you with wise words ofDeepak Chopra, who reminds us
(10:28):
there are no extra pieces in theuniverse.
Everyone is here because he orshe has a place to fill and
every piece must fit itself intothe big jigsaw puzzle.
What peace do you want to be?
I'm Lisa Hopkins.
(10:50):
Thanks so much for listening.
Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and remember to live in the
moment.
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