Skip to main content

The Missing Piece

I will forever be grateful to the youth group leader who first shared with me Shel Silverstein's "The Missing Piece." It is the story of the missing piece in search of it's missing piece. In this installment, the piece comes across several potential pieces: one that doesn't want to even try to be "its" missing piece, one too small, too large, too sharp, and too square. It finds some pieces that fit, but it doesn't hold it tightly enough, or holds it too tightly, or finds that its life is stifled when "completed". No matter how many times I've read it (or the sequel), I'm moved by the delighfully simplistic prose and drawings.

I shared this with my classes today. We all needed the break from our rigorous writing lessons, so I read to them and shared the pictures with them. As I usually do, I cried when the missing piece sets down his "piece" and rolls away. My students were outraged that the piece was calloused enough to just roll away from the piece. I couldn't help but laugh at them...and then I explained that sometimes we just need to let go--of people, of attitudes, of habits--of anything that isn't good for us.

This concept has been rolling around in my head all day. How often do we cling to what is not healthy for us just because it seems unfair or mean or for no good reason? And it's sad. It hurts to let go of something, especially when it's familiar or seems to make us happy or seems to be the right thing.

Personally, this has been my theme for the last year. Letting go. Of a friendship with someone whose values are in stark contrast to my own. Of my belief that something is inherently wrong with me just because I'm different from the rest of the world. Of my attempts to control my loved ones' attitudes and moods. Of insecurities. Of my reputation. Of the facades I've hidden behind in a desperate attempt to fit in.

The beauty of this "spring" cleaning is that I'm creating space in my life for new life. Friendships with people who share my values and accept me as I am. Finding other people like me to share and explore the depths of my soul. Accepting others as they are and giving them the freedom to be themselves around me. Eating cold eggplant parmesan in public with my hands. Being real. Screwing up. Acknowledging that God made me just the way I am...and soaking up each moment along the way.

And for the most part, I feel like the snotty little "piece" in the story who very frankly told the missing piece that it was NOT a missing piece...and even if it was, it was not necessarily THE missing piece. I don't need something to come in and complete me.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tough As Nails

I found "The Chub" last night. This is a small, thick spiral notebook that I had carried around with me for several weeks last winter and spring. Its sole purpose was to be an immediate reservoir for any brilliant ideas I had during the day. The only thing I ever wrote in there (besides grocery lists and bill schedules) was during my family's reunion-birthday-anniversary cruise last January. My words were interesting, and I clearly remembered writing them on the little boat that took my aunt, sister, and cousin to go snorkeling in the Bahamas. The funny part was that I wrote about how the breeze was making the weariness "seep from my bones". I read it yesterday while I was home from work. That is, after I was sent home for nearly fainting during a class. Apparently, the look of my skin was so bad that my students thought I was pulling a Halloween prank. While driving myself home, I was thinking about the recent events that led me to the afternoon and how embarra
1 comment
Read more

The Transformation Begins

Do you ever feel like your life is a movie? I hope so because I certainly do, complete with an occasional out-of-body experience and a soundtrack. Right now, I hear Journey in the background and see myself out running each morning, conquering the evil vacuum cleaner, and throwing away my old flannel shirt. The last few days were interesting. My husband and I had few good fights...and lots of laughs. I can't help but think they were related. I know they are. The fights were about establishing boundaries. We finished our budget for June and updated our to do list. At the end of the day, he was completed something he had to have done, and I was working on final edits for my book. I'm really proud of us. We looked at our situation together, set some goals, and we reached them. I'm really proud of him, too. He's the kind of man who doesn't stop until he's completed what he had in mind. I love that tenacity. I guess that's what makes us a good match. I see the big
4 comments
Read more

Frustrated Readers Make Great Fans

I haven’t felt this betrayed by a story line since Neo learned that not only was he not the first person to challenge the Matrix, but he was part of the plan all along. Even though I was sorely disappointed in what appeared to be a cop-out story line, I can understand the logic in that disappointing plot twist. I can’t say the same for Stephenie Meyer’s conclusion to her wildly popular “Twilight” series. Look, I’ve read each of the first three books at least twice, and my grad school entrance paper was a character analysis of Edward Cullen. I loved these books. I read “New Moon” and “Eclipse” in a single day. I’ve been discussing the plot lines and characters with my students for the last two years. It was a long wait for this final book. And a huge part of me wishes I was still waiting. It was that much of a letdown. I’m still debating just how to tiptoe through my inevitable conversations with students about this part of the “Twilight” saga. My students were embarrassed enough by th
5 comments
Read more