OUR PUZZLE

 

Friends of ours have died this year…

and though we’ve had friends who’ve died before…

as each year we grow a little older…it seems to happen more.

We’re sad when the life of someone we love comes to an end

sad they will no longer be with us…sad we’ve lost a friend…

Because we know while we put the pieces of the puzzle of our life together

as each new friend fits in…our puzzle is improved.

and we know our puzzle will never be the same…

with their puzzle piece removed.

And though there’s a good chance we will add more pieces to our puzzle

if fate and circumstances permit…

there will always be an empty space…into which no other piece will fit.

In order to counterbalance our sorrow…so we won’t always feel dismayed…

we do our best to fill that space with the memories we have made.

We smile as we remember moments…because with each new memory we embrace…

we’re amazed at how many memories line up to fill their space.

With each moment we remember…our sorrow lessons and our happiness soars…

and that empty space inside our puzzle…doesn’t seem as empty any more. 

It helps us move ahead with life…to be brave and bold…undaunted…

which is exactly, we imagine, what our old friend would have wanted.

They would want the memories we made together…

to be what we’re focusing on….

those times their piece was part of our puzzle…

not …on the fact it’s gone.