PUZZLEMENTS

I wrote this piece shortly after my aunt passed away from a rare form of cancer in 2005. It is not a poem, per say, but just a writing of my thoughts at the time.

I have been told that life is like an enormous jigsaw puzzle.
As your days are spent and pieces fitted together it will form into an amazingly beautiful picture.

But when a family death occurs, the puzzle can never be fully complete because many pieces will be forever missing.

I have never been good at jigsaw puzzles. I don't know why exactly -- maybe I don't have enough patience -- maybe I don't like the picture I see developing before me.

My passion is the Seek and Find -- puzzles where you locate the word. For me, death doesn't seem to fit into life. So, as I seek to find The Word, He comforts me and keeps me from being puzzled.

 

Author's Note

Please give an overall review, please! Thank you!

Reviews

[alifeacoustic]

Beautifully written. I sometimes wonder myself if this puzzle is ever expanding and three dimensional. Maybe that's why we have such trouble seeing the bigger picture of completion. Death is always a different kind of puzzle, full of question marks and sadness, that no one can ever truly sum up with reason and logic alone.
Very well written, thoughtful piece.

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, alifeacoustic! This was at a rough period in my family's life and a lot of confusion, anger and sadness surrounded us all. These were my thoughts at the time. I appreciate your kind comments!

[Lydia Shutter]

Losing a family member is never easy. I have lost so many. The puzzle pieces are still there though.....in our hearts and minds. Those who pass are never out of our puzzles. They helped form them. Your emotions are expressed well here. Lydi**

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Lydia! I appreciate your kind comments. I appreciate you reading!

[Robert Parlange]

I like the analogy of the puzzle. In Asia, the departed are worshiped as comforting spirits. Not a bad idea. I tend to keep my lost family with me. Some people call that “living with the dead.” I don't want to forget them. It's a comfort. I miss my dog too.

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you, Robert. Sorry I didn't respond sooner. I have had some personal things to take care of. I think anyone close to us -- family, friends, animals -- who pass away leave a little part of themselves with us when they go. It's up to us to make the memories good ones or bad. We may not understand the 'whys' of it all but they wouldn't want us to constantly be sad. Just my opinion, of course, for what it's worth.

[dan]

Melissa, I'm no good at any kind of puzzles, I sometimes have the attention span of a hamster. I like how you equated finding the word with your spiritual beliefs, your way of dealing with family deaths and other somber events. I'm not qualified to comment on religious beliefs but am certainly happy you have found solace for your tough times. take care...dan

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you for reading and commenting, Dan. I really appreciate it.

[dan]

See, now that is how a read request is received and reviewed. Easy as pie. take care...dan

[MelissaAndres]

Thank you again, Dan.