The Jigsaw Puzzle of Time (excerpt)
The Jigsaw Puzzle of Time
The Principle of life is like an unfolding story, each day a new addition to the picture puzzle of life. Just as when assembling a jigsaw puzzle one attempts to fit each piece into its correct position in the relative sequence of completing the picture puzzle, so, too, each day's activities must fit into a planned program of growth. When commencing a picture puzzle one often starts at the border or from a highlight of the picture, such as a red barn or some other easily identifiable object. Each piece must follow in correct sequence and each piece must be correct to fit. How often has it occurred that someone pushes, twists, or pounds an ill-fitting piece into a spot only to realize that there is no way to make it fit! How often do we attempt to fit a desired action into a cyclic quality of time which is not relative to the action, but we push ahead anyway!
The picture of life unfolds day by day, cycle by cycle. Each cycle quality is like one of the pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, meant to fill a specific place in the unfoldment of life. Each cycle is unique and will fit nowhere else. It will dovetail only with the cycle prior to and directly after the unique and singular cycle. How many times has it been observed that a puzzle is partially completed in several areas-usually specific objects such as a house, fence, specific trees, and parts of the top, bottom, and side borders, yet they are not linked together-for the blue sky, white snow, or common background proves to be difficult to assemble and the pieces all seem alike and nothing fits easily.
Life is often a similar situation for many. Specific areas of one's life may be active and certain accomplishments achieved such as a career position, musical skill, a family, travel highlight, or a certain financial status. Each of these areas is like an island in the sea of time. Perhaps in a 1 cycle a certain action was taken, such as a career started. Maybe in a 5 cycle a special trip to a new part of the world remains as a mental highlight. How do each of these parts of one's life tie together to make a complete picture so that at the conclusion to mortal life, success has been achieved? The connecting pieces are really the daily cycles of time that should relate each quality of potential with each reality in form. When cyclic efforts are co-ordinated to bring purpose into completion, the puzzle is finished and life becomes a balanced expression of principle.
Each day should be a step of growth, even if only a small step. It is important to keep growing. It is well recognized that a sedentary job and passive lifestyle are not good for physical well-being and can, coupled with indulgent eating and living, result in a life of sickness and an early demise. This same situation is true in mental growth. Creative planning, using the potential of the cycles and followed up with consistent mental effort to cause growth in concept, is a positive method of keeping mentally fit and establishing on a daily basis that all-important link to the Principle. Just as one can get physically fat and lazy, so, too, one can become unprincipled and indifferent to one's true purpose in life, drifting along just enjoying the sensual pleasures of life yet hating the tests, problems, confusions, disappointments, accidents, and sicknesses which result from such a useless lifestyle.
May each day be like a piece of the jigsaw puzzle placed into its correct position, filling out the beautiful picture of principled life.
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