About

Carol Harrison B.Ed. is a storyteller, speaker, writer, teacher,and facilitator who loves to share from her heart one on one or with any size of group.

You can reach Carol via:
email: carol@carolscorer.ca
phone: 306 230 5808

twitter: @CarolHarrison6

Recent Posts

Life Lessons from a Puzzle – Observation

observaton

I often watched my father work on putting a puzzle together. He always searched for the edge pieces first. It gave him a starting point and they were often easier to spot with their one smooth side. Yet once the edge was complete he needed to begin to assemble the picture. Almost a thousand pieces still remained scattered across the table in front of him, each one painstakingly turned so the colour – picture portion side faced up.

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He never seemed to rush in deciding which piece to pick up. Instead he carefully studied each piece and the spot he needed to fill. The more of the picture he had completed, the longer he seemed to study the remaining pieces. I saw him pick up a piece and pop it into the spot. When I tried working on a puzzle I looked at the pieces and chose several I thought might fit. I tried each piece this way and that. Sometimes I found the one I searched for but other times I needed to go back to the pile of pieces and try again. My dad, through observation, discovered pieces much more quickly and without as much effort or so it seemed to me.

Puzzle making and putting them together requires keen observation. You need to compare the pieces to the picture on the box – hopefully you have that guideline. You need to compare colours of pieces to know which ones likely go in the same area of the puzzle. You need to observe the bumps and holes as I call the them.

In life we also need to be observant. In the last few months I have been asking myself if I am paying enough attention, observing closely enough the needs and joys of those in my family and among my friends. Then I wonder if I am taking time to observe needs in the world around me – or my corner of it – that I might be able to address. Is there someone whom God is nudging me to do something with or for. Do I think about those who are lonely and in need of a visit? Do I have a burden to pray for someone and follow through? Do I even take the time to observe what God is trying to teach me?

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blessings

Am I being observant of the blessings in my life and giving God thanks for them? Some people make a gratitude journal to help focus their attention to the positives, the blessings, the things to be grateful for. I think this might be a good exercise to help me focus and then to remember when life seems tough.

What do you use to help you focus and be observant?

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