Challenge yourself

This happened just a week ago. I was rummaging through some boxes that stored my children’s childhood treasure – books, toys, puzzles. I chanced upon a small box that had pieces of a 3D jigsaw puzzle. I instantly remembered the green apple puzzle that my little daughter had insisted on buying in a museum shop, many years ago. At home she had assembled the green apple and had showen it proudly to us. Now it was dismantled and waiting for someone once again to bring it together.

I sat down to assemble and quickly concluded that 3D jigsaw puzzles are not easy. Apple being a spherical shape added to the difficulty. There are no corner and border pieces like those in a 2D jigsaw puzzle. I tried sorting the pieces and could make some progress but finally gave up in some time.

I sent a message to my daughter. ‘I found your green apple 3D puzzle’.

‘Good, I remember it well’ She wrote back. ‘It is not difficult; you can assemble it’.

‘Not difficult? I find it quite difficult’ I wrote back.

‘Then send it to me, I’ll do it’ she volunteered.

This exchange also gave me a challenge. I attacked the apple pieces again and could assemble two portions that could vaguely fit together. I stopped for the day.

The next day, while cleaning the table, someone unaware of my effort, shoved the pieces back into the box! Starting again, I could now proceed ahead yet not complete the green apple. Another day and now I could see how the pieces fit together to build the lovely finished shiny green apple! Had I not challenged myself, the pieces would still be lying in the box.

Moral of the story? Challenge yourself and you will be surprised what you can do.??