Before my brother returned to Australia – he gave us all a very thoughtful gift.

Mine was a jigsaw puzzle – but – one that was unique and unlike anything that I had seen before.

It was made of many small – and unusual – wooden shapes – and the puzzle itself was in the shape of a turtle.

I quickly realised that I needed a different approach. I simply couldn’t begin with fitting just the edge pieces together – (as I normally would do) – as there were no definite edge pieces to see. And so – I had to work with similar colours and patterns – to begin to put the various shapes together – building the whole picture – bit by bit.

It’s coming along slowly – and is certainly a challenge – but the one thing that struck me was the futility of thinking I could simply follow my usual method of piecing together this particular puzzle – it simply wasn’t working – I needed to heed what someone said and – ” Instead of giving up – try a different approach” – and I am finding that this different method is working for me.

This all reminded me of a saying – which I’m sure – many of us can recall – “There’s more than one way to skin a cat” – simply meaning – that there are multiple ways to accomplish something – or achieve a goal.

I also like how someone else put it – ‘there is no right way – just a way that works for you’ – and that’s just it – finding the way that works – at that particular time – and for whatever it is that I am aiming for.

I am so glad that I am finding more and more – just how freeing it is for me – to find the way that works best for me – that suits me – and helps me to grow and flourish.

Working in my garden – I often find that a flower – or shrub – that I have planted – simply isn’t thriving as it should – and so – I move it – often being surprised and delighted – when I see it grow and bloom well.

For – “When a flower doesn’t bloom – you fix the environment in which it grows – not the flower”.

So -now if something isn’t working for me – just as with the flower in the garden – I recognise that it’s not that – I need fixing – but that something needs to change for me. I need to find a different approach – a different ‘environment’ – in which to grow.

Or – to go back to my puzzle – find a different way – to put together the pieces that make up my life – never being afraid – to take that new approach.

Blessings – Lois