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

A Restless Soul

Someone recently told me that I have an impulsive streak. ("Just an observation, not a criticism.") My initial reaction was to vehemently deny that statement despite the fact that I had just confessed to walking into Total Wine and buying $200 worth of wine just because it seemed like a good idea at 11:00 on a Thursday morning. Me? Impulsive? Don't answer that, especially if you know the truth. I shared this with my therapist yesterday and his eyes lit up when I said, "I think I have a restless soul." The fact that his eyes lit up is significant since we spend most of my sessions arguing with each other about ideas like whether or not a book he recommended is filled with psychobabble bullsh*t or why I should do a bit more thinking with my heart instead of my head. For once, he agreed with me and quickly pointed out that this is not necessarily a bad trait. In fact, it's what stirs my needs to explore and to write. It's also the reason why I don't, by...
5 comments
Read more

Gators and Bees and Snakes...Oh My!

Let me preface this by pointing out that we have a deaf, epileptic Great Dane, a one-eyed cat, and a slew of young cats outside that we just haven't been able to part with. Love for animals abounds here. It seems we have a critter fest going on around here lately. In mid-September there was the Great Goose Massacre courtesy of a visiting alligator. Two weeks ago we had the Invasion of the Bees that left nearly 100 dead bees in its wake. Last week was the Demise of the Rattler. Alan heard a strange sound when he walked out on the porch last Sunday. He thought at first that it was a large dragonfly caught in the screen. It turns out that it was a rattle snake, coiled up and ready to strike. He says that he will never get the rattling sound out of his head, but I think he was a bit more freaked out at the thought of watching one of the kittens get struck by the snake. (Bonsai was apparently completely willing to risk his life to investigate the snake.) His first words to me when he pi...
5 comments
Read more

So Not the Party Girl

In an effort to be more social, I agreed to participate in the first annual cookie exchange at work this morning. I've never done an cookie exchange before, and that fact alone didn't bode well for my social phobia, perfectionist tendencies, and leeriness about eating food from other people's kitchens. But I persevered. My grandmother recommended her favorite cookie recipe (which is actually a cake recipe--cut into bars). Last night I whipped up a delightful batch and licked the icing bowl clean...after I spread the bulk of it on the cookies. I wrapped everything in some plastic bowls and topped them with a Christmas bow. All was well until I was 1 dozen cookies short. At 10:45 last night I drove 7 miles to the nearest store (Walgreens) and then drove another mile to the Winn-Dixie for powdered sugar. I washed dishes as I listened to Letterman, and I was finally in bed around 12:30. And up again at 4:45. The cookie exchange was DELIGHTFUL. I laughed as I sipped black coffee...
6 comments
Read more