The Puzzle

Caregiving changes our lives. Sometimes we’re pulled in so many directions that we feel like a 5,000-piece jigsaw puzzle strewn throughout the room.

Roles change. Schedules are disrupted. We have to say no to what we want to do and yes to things we don’t.

We can’t see the whole picture. We don’t even know where to begin.

To begin to make sense of the situation, we first have to gather all those puzzle pieces together. We need to identify what is actually happening and what we need to know.

Then we can start putting the pieces together, beginning with the frame that serves as a guide and support. In doing so, we begin to discern the options and resources that can help to lead us through the caregiver maze.

Fitting all those pieces together may be a slow process. Sometimes we can’t find the exact piece for that exact space and end up letting one missing piece steal the joy of the picture we’re completing. Instead, we need to trust that God sees the whole picture.

The puzzle we work on so diligently rests in His hands. As Jesus promised His disciples, someday we’ll understand.