A few years back, I took a floatwater raft trip down the Colorado River, that took us around a famous landmark, Horseshoe Bend. Loved the trip, and a few months ago, I received a jigsaw puzzle of Horseshoe Bend.

When you work on a jigsaw puzzle… you have a lot of time to think. In the weeks it took me to complete the puzzle, I relived that trip; the amazing colors of the sky, the iciness of the water, the dry hot dustiness of rock and sand, offset by the tang of the river, the summer storm that blew up, sprinkled on us a little, and quickly passed.

So, I’m remembering the trip, and I’m meditating on gratitude, grateful that I got to enjoy that wonderful experience. It was one of those brilliant, perfect days you treasure for the rest of your life.

I’m also thinking about life lessons. Viewed from the vantage point of the cliff, Horseshoe Bend is extremely unusual. But when you’re going through it, it doesn’t appear especially striking. Just another winding twist of the river, of which there are plenty.

To appreciate it fully, you have to experience it both up close, and get some distance from it and look back.

And then, I get the puzzle finished.

Or, almost finished.

One piece is missing.

I turn the room upside down, gingerly stick my hands into the deepest crevices of my living room furniture. (anyone need a Kleenex? I’ve got extra). I even sorted through the cat hair and best-left-unidentified dirt in my vacuum (now that was gross), without finding that very last puzzle piece.

So at first I’m thinking, well, that sucks. I was planning to hang and admire my puzzle, and now it’s ruined.

And then I paused. Maybe the Universe is sending me another life lesson.

Maybe I’m not supposed to have all the pieces. Maybe (this is where I get all philosophical) the lesson is to accept this imperfection as part of the package of life, that sometimes the pieces are missing, or don’t fit together neatly the way I think they should.

And that’s okay.

I actually like the puzzle better this way.

So I’ve come with five potential memes. Will you help me choose one (or, suggest a better tagline?), to post on Pinterest?

So, which meme do you like best?
Got a better tagline?
Ever Been to HorseShoe Bend?

(P.S. Feel free to Pin, Tweet, etc. Or, not. Because frankly I’m tired of peeps always asking me to share and Tweet and Pin and I figure you are too.)

P.S.S. This blog post was originally posted on my old blog in June 2014, but I like it so much I want to repost, because why not?

And one more thing – I’m trying to see what kinds of music my friends like. Take the poll, on the right, please!