Puzzles

The last time I put a Puzzle together was back in 2004. I don't know why but when I went to the dollar store with my grandma a few weeks ago, I decided to buy a puzzle. I guess one of the reasons why I deiced to buy one is because I've started to feel distant from my own grandma. Ever since I started going to college, I've been spending less and less time talking to her. Yet, the funny thing is I see her everyday but we don't communicate like we used to.

I've been so caught up with school, reading, and just trying to understand a lot of things going on in the world and in my life that I've simply found myself feeling like a stranger to my own grandma. I also must add that I've never had a 100 percent perfect relationship with her. The little old lady can be quite feisty and no matter how many times I've tried to explain things to her, she will never change her point of view.

On the day I went to the dollar store with her, I found myself remembering the summer of 2004. I was a thirteen year old girl who discovered a world of happiness and peace. My parents were separated at the time and I finished 7th grade. To whoever is reading this, I know that might be a bizarre reason to be happy but believe me when I say that I had my reasons. Maybe someday you'll read about them.

On my 13th birthday I received a 1000 piece Disney Photomosaic Winnie the Pooh Jigsaw Puzzle.Once school ended for summer vacation, I opened the box and began to assemble this giant puzzle with my grandma. It took the entire summer to put it together because we took our time putting piece by piece together and simply enjoying the moment.

It may seem simple or childish but to be honest, I was so happy and I had a lot of fun putting that puzzle together. Everyday after breakfast I would just sit at the dining room table with my grandma and sort through all of those little pieces and try to find the perfect match to each one. But what made it so special was that I was putting those pieces together with my grandma. Back then, she was the only one who I could talk to about anything and she was the only one who would listen. 

That summer with her was a true blessing after the stuff that went on between my parents and the things I dealt with at school. Almost as if that puzzle was my heart and my grandma was helping me put the pieces together, helping me make it whole again. We spent days and nights working on that puzzle. We were so determine to get it done, no matter how long it would take us. I can't believe how long its been since we assembled it.

It's been glued and has been hanging in my parents room for the past 7 years. Every now and then I'll go into the room just to stare at it and remember that summer. There are times where I even wish I was 13 again, just so I could relieve that summer. I'm 20 now and obviously a lot has changed since then, but my love for puzzles remains the same. I started working on the new puzzle with grandma a few days ago and it may not feel like the summer of 2004 but it certainly feels nice to be spending time with her, just like before.