Puzzle pieces unknown

Imagine sitting down at a table and looking down at a box that has the simple words

“Your life in the making” The amount of pieces are unknown. You grab the corners and shiming the box lid off, you dump out the content and thousands upon thousand of puzzle pieces scatter themselves all over your table. This isn’t your ordinary plain jane puzzle.You look closer and notice something incredible. They show pieces of your life. Some are already showing a specific moment in your life that has happened and others are blank for the ones you have not yet created. As you sit down and start to build it you also notice some pieces are rougher around the edges, battered and worn looking, little torn here and there.You probably already guessed this, this is from the unhappy times. The times there were more bad than good, your gloomier days. You notice some pieces are bright and colorful, in perfect condition..To the touch you feel a blanket of calmness wrap around you, a sense of fulfillment and happiness. All from the days when you shared the most joy from what memories they each represent.

Anybody else’s grandparents constantly have a puzzle on their table? Either just starting or mid way done? Hardly ever seen completed.

Reflecting back I can’t help but wonder, Did they really see the same puzzle I did or were they finally taking the time to put together the life puzzle they had created together. Were they taking the time to look back at all the memories they had created together, going through the good and bad, hand in hand never leaving the other one's side.

As a child I never took the time to care enough about paying attention to what they were creating. Now as an adult when it’s too late, All I can think about is how grateful I would have been to get that glimpse into the life of the two greatest humans I had ever come to know and love.

One day I will be grey and old, I will be the grandparent that always has that puzzle scattered across her table. Waiting for the days I can share with my grandchildren in hopes the picture they see on my table isn’t just an ordinary puzzle to them.

-Marissa Knappert.