How Do You Make The Pieces Fit?
Belonging is the common denominator that exists within each and every one of us. This central line of need is closely connected with our function within the human race. It is why we start families, why we have friends, why we get involved with groups or work and why communities are established. Inbuilt deep within each one of us is this aforementioned drive to belong and find our place. We can often compare ourselves to a jigsaw puzzle; each piece is uniquely different – a different shape, colour and pattern. Each piece links with other pieces and when it all fits together it forms or creates a picture.
A puzzle can be done in many ways. You can try and build it from the finished picture, but that requires the understanding of what it will look like and then knowing how to connect it. Another way is placing all the same colours together and slowly connecting them and make smaller pictures to later join them together to form and complete the finished puzzle. For me, I use both these combinations. I separate the different colours while also looking at the finished picture.
Society can be the same concept. We often attract ourselves to likeminded people; with same likes or dislikes and we may form groups or cliques through doing this. When there are enough small groups, we hope that it all works together to form the finished piece. From my experience, I have found that the end result is often where it all comes undone. It’s hard to find a finished idea that everyone would agree on, so we often don’t agree with someone else for many reasons but, at its heart, I think it’s often fear that is the catalyst. We are afraid that someone’s idea of what the picture is meant to look like might require me to change who I am.
If we allow the government to decide what the picture is, it will change from term to term depending on who has been elected. Society struggles to agree and often if we don’t agree alongside it, there is something wrong that causes disagreement and doesn’t bring unity but rather separates us further.
I remember one time trying to complete a puzzle and I had one little piece left which I couldn’t find a home for. No matter what I did it, I could not find its place – I even tried to jam it in somewhere! This made me frustrated and maybe even angry, or perhaps I was just too passionate. Finally, I realised I had the piece upside down! When we don’t fit, it is not a time to get angry, frustrated or these similar emotions; it’s a time for cooler heads and to work together – perhaps even turning it upside down to find unity.
COVID has been the active force against community. We have all, well most of us, acted with our fellow humans to benefit at the core of our decisions; our ability to fit together has been difficult or even compromised. This season, although not our favourite, allows us to reset the puzzle and decide what we want the picture to look like. You might ask me who gets to decide this. Well that’s easy! You do…. What do you want the picture to look like? How do we come out of this? Will we find a way to fit together and appreciate our differences or will we stick to our cliques? I encourage you to take a moment to reflect and ponder your finished product and consider reaching out to someone who might be a little different; it could be the missing piece you have been searching for!
Plus, you never know how many future generations will look at your finished puzzle!
