Over the holidays, I borrowed a puzzle of Texas from a friend, and it nearly broke me. It wasn’t huge, but the pieces were unlike anything I’d seen. They were made from wood and cut into bizarre shapes that were nearly identical in color. Some looked like actual things (hello, tiny dolphin), but most were just chaotic blobs with no clear edges. To make things even harder, there was no printout or guide. I only had the small image on the box to go off of.
I eventually finished it with a little help, but it was one of the toughest puzzles I’ve tackled. Maybe that’s why I love puzzles. They remind me of what I do for a living—taking a mess of scattered pieces or ideas, searching for connections, and making it all come together. And just like this puzzle, the key is patience, creativity, and sometimes stepping back long enough to see the bigger picture.