Life's jigsaw

Life is like a vast jigsaw puzzle. The number of pieces that need to be fixed keeps increasing, and the jigsaw keeps becoming more complex. The pieces will come in different forms - education, career, relationships, health, hobbies, friends, habits, behaviour, money, satisfaction, spirituality and compassion, among many others.

The challenge would be to fit them in proper places. It is a continuous process. As you move on, you have to keep fixing these pieces in the right manner. Life does not wait. That is why it becomes more challenging to fit them. If you are able to fix them fast and efficiently, life becomes easier. Any piece left unfixed will make the picture incomplete, leaving you discontented and unhappy.

In a some phases of the puzzle, one tends to slow down. It's a period that can be likened to frustrations and confusions integral to life. However, perseverance is very important. Life's jigsaw will also give you pieces such as anger, arrogance, selfishness, greed, ego and envy, among other things. If you fit that, it will spoil your puzzle. Learning to reject and discard these pieces is also an art.


On completion of the jigsaw puzzle, the image of life finally comes into focus. By that time, you would have entered the 'Vanaprasth' phase. The challenge now is to gently wind down and learn to live with fewer pieces. Successfully gearing up and winding down when necessary is the essence of leading a fulfilled life.