Pieces of Us
A Masterpiece of Memories
The soft purr of mom’s old red ’92 Toyota Corolla echoed unmistakably in the driveway, signaling her return home. I awaited her eagerly, knowing she’d soon walk through the door with a small box gripped firmly in her meticulous hands—filled with hundreds of puzzle pieces. Mom stood in the doorway of our childhood home, dressed in her nursing fatigues, lunchbox in hand, alongside a mounting board and, most prized, the puzzle box. This was our ritual, our time. Together at the dining table, we’d tackle hundred-piece puzzles with unwavering focus.
I vividly remember watching mom when I was young; her brow would crease and her lips purse in deep concentration. Each puzzle piece was handled with exquisite patience and determination, finding its place with precision. I mirrored her vigor, becoming her apprentice while she was my master of puzzles. These moments—mom and me, me and mom—embody the age-old wisdom of not losing sight of the forest for the trees. As puzzle pieces scattered across the table, they melded into shapes forming beautiful masterpieces. We didn’t need a manual; all we needed was a vision—a picture we were determined to bring to life. Together, we wove bonds through intricate forms, building upon our small pieces, shaping edges and contours. Together, we formed. Together, we worked. Together, we were one.
This memory resurfaced recently when my six-year-old son faced frustration. He’d saved enough from his lemonade stand to buy the Lego Technic set he’d longed for. Upon arriving home, his small, precise hands dove into the box. His focus shifted from the instructional manual to the Technic pieces required to assemble his 435-piece Surface Space Loader—intended for eight-year-olds, but limitations didn’t deter my SONshine. He was determined. Over two days, he labored on the complex yet realistic space model. His brow furrowed in concentration, his fingers displayed deftness and control, and his hand-eye coordination aligned with the vision of what he’d achieve upon completing his Surface Space Loader. Despite this, frustration surfaced—drawing on my bond with my complex mother allowed him to see beyond his current challenges.
Sharing pieces of myself with my son, I realized much of who I am stems from the masterpieces I created with mom. I see mom in the beautiful details and contours of euphoric memories etched in history. I see the generational pieces of mom’s tenacity, and my son’s resolve. I sit back and write these memories astonished and overwhelmed at how each piece fits into the larger whole–my family, a masterpiece in itself.
Willynn S. Thompson
Life*Lines
July 2024
this was a such a wonderful read, Willynn, words woven with grace and beauty. i am a puzzle enthusiast myself, though i prefer to work on my puzzles alone. thank you for sharing!
Love being a part of this masterpiece, my love.🧑🧑🧒🧒 Exceptional piece.