The Art of Puzzling
Today is a beautiful day. Not only the weather, a kiss of Raleigh heat, a mild breeze, and minimal cloud coverage, but another sum of hours that represent a blank canvas. Each day is an opportunity to start again, to hit reset, and to make the most of the 24-hour window that represents a day. The most efficient and joyful way in which I’ve navigated this big and daunting life is to take each day moment by moment. I think of life as a puzzle meaning you’ll never have all of the pieces, it will never be done, it is challenging, surprising, and sometimes infuriating, but most importantly, it is full of what you make it. Our mindset changes our lives. If it helps to think about life more tangibly, think of each day as a puzzle piece, it contributes to your puzzle and adds to your life, but if it’s a bad day or a tough moment, it can blend in with the rest of the colorful and intricate result that is life.
To live the most rich and beautiful life, your primary desire and aim should be to make each puzzle piece the most vibrant, the most meaningful. This can feel like a lot of pressure. “How do I make my puzzle piece the most meaningful?” “What can I do to add color to my day or consider my day a success?” The answer is simple. Be where your feet are. Be present. Be productive. Set yourself up for success. Note how you feel in different situations. Accept negative emotions, but let them go. Go about your day with the most positive mindset you can have. Sometimes you cannot have the most positive mindset. Maybe you woke up with a headache. You're stressed about an upcoming event or exam. You lost a family member or friend. Or maybe you feel sad because that’s just how you feel. Regardless of anything, make it the best puzzle piece it can be - the most colorful, the most vibrant.
Each moment is a gift because we don’t know how many of them we will be granted. A wise man once told me, “There is one guarantee in life; we die.” While this might sound morbid to some, it’s true. A quote my grandpa repeated at my grandma’s funeral that spoke to me said, “Life if lived well, is long enough.” No one should be afraid of dying, because life's meant to be lived to the fullest. This doesn’t mean doing things to harm your body or dabble in blatant danger, but it means trying everything you can. Maybe you’re the next winner of America’s Got Talent or Chopped. Maybe you could be the next Olympic gold medalist or silver or bronze because any would be breathtaking.
Live your life to the fullest. Squeeze things in. Go have coffee with the person you met on the train, compliment someone’s outfit, call your loved ones, or text if you don’t have time to talk to your beloved grandma for hours. This life is yours and you only get one. The only guarantee; you die. Fill that puzzle. Make it your masterpiece. Today is your day.
With my role model and mom, Amie Yudice.
