The Missing Piece (a parable)

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MusicalMe

Guest
#1
#1
Hey everyone!

I've said on many, many threads now that one of the keys to surviving singlehood, is to learn how to be happy just as you are and not base your happiness on another person or a relationship. Well, I finally found a YouTube video of a book I read when I was young that I think can be seen as a brilliant allegory for singlehood. Let's watch and discuss!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCmZ2jrQooE[/video]
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#2
#2
Seriously?? Eleven views and no thoughts? Am I really that off the mark here?
 
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Nicsk101

Guest
#3
#3
No BFF... Youre not off the mark... It really does make sense. :)
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#4
May 23, 2009
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#4
Musical: This was truly beautiful. I am going to have to remember this so that if I have children someday (or if I'm around children and teens), I can share it with them. When I was in high school, I wrote poem called, "The Missing Puzzle Piece" because I felt like a lost puzzle piece that did not fit in anywhere... I was always different. A different race than my family, different from the other kids, different interests, different everything, it felt like. This clip really spoke to me--I have more rough, jagged ends than I can count, but God is truly teaching me to "roll with it." But, it's PAINFUL when pieces break off, even if they're getting rubbed smooth in the process!! I know I've spent many years TRYING to flip over, but because it hurt, I would lie there and be like, "Oh forget it, there's no way, this isn't worth it..." and I couldn't see beyond the situation to see what God was trying to do in my life--to make me a whole, complete being instead of a jagged puzzle piece that doesn't fit anywhere. Thank you so much for sharing this!! I know I have lots of corners and edges to be worked on (and notice, they get smoothed out by trying--by our actions, by trying things, and by experience and learning) but this video POPPED out at me and really helped me see some of the reasoning as to why God has made me walk through what seems like such a long time and so many challenges. (Do you think, when we refuse to try to "flip and flop" on our own... God just kicks us over? That would be me!! :).)
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#5
#5
seoulsearch said:
(Do you think, when we refuse to try to "flip and flop" on our own... God just kicks us over? That would be me!! :).)
Click to expand...
Haha, I think sometimes that's exactly what happens!!

I'm glad you liked it. I read it once - it was on a display stand in the library when I was a young teen, and I stood there and read the whole thing and it stuck with me. I've never forgotten it. It's really a stunningly true to life sort of story. There's sooo many things you can relate to this!

Happy rolling!
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#6
May 23, 2009
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MusicalMe said:
Happy rolling!
Click to expand...
"Rolling"... HEH, I WISH. It's more like, "Kerchunk, bang, kaching, (oooohhh, ouch, dang nab it, yikes!), plop, plop, fizz, fizz... CLANK!!! SCREECH!!" Oh, the painful (and noisy process) of being transformed by God... (of course, in my old age, I'm beginning to become more agreeable to God's suggestions--imagine that--and I think He's not having to do so much of the kicking as He used to... *Maybe in a way, He misses it? HA!* :)
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#7
#7
He must feel the same sort of pride that parents feel when they don't have to tell you to take out the garbage.

(Ooooo that could be a really good analogy! Taking out the garbage on our own!)
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#8
May 23, 2009
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#8
Just when I was starting to like the idea of a little bit of rolling... now you go and throw the garbage in with it... *sighs*. Well, that's ok... it's not like I haven't "KERPLUNKED" my way through tons of garbage already! :)
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#9
#9
seoulsearch said:
Just when I was starting to like the idea of a little bit of rolling... now you go and throw the garbage in with it... *sighs*. Well, that's ok... it's not like I haven't "KERPLUNKED" my way through tons of garbage already! :)
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Haha, this is getting to be like Random Analogies Deathmatch!
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#10
May 23, 2009
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#10
Musical, you are TOO funny :). However... if it's some sort of Deathmatch/Ulitmate Fighting Championship... please just tell me I don't have to wear one of those ridiculous wrestling-type outfits in order to participate (and/or, grow a mullet... I REFUSE.)
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#11
#11
Just as long as you talk in a rough growly voice and break a chair over some analogy's head.
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#12
May 23, 2009
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#12
Hmm. Never broken a chair... however, I can talk pretty tough when I want to ("Listen hear, I don't care how bad of an analogy you think you are, you're goin' down!") Or maybe I could try comical insults? "You put the 'anal' in analogy!" Have to work on my growly voice and five-o-clock shadow though.
 
Sharp

Sharp

Senior Member
#14
May 5, 2009
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#14
i dont know. maybe i was watching this wrong, but i got the message that you have to change yourself to be happy and loved
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#15
#15
Interesting point, Sharp. I don't know about you but I feel like I change a lot whether I want to or not - like when the missing piece grew too big. So why not do what I can to change in a way that is beneficial or that makes me more self-reliant? (not 'self-reliant' vs. God-reliant, but self-relient vs. significant-other-relient)
 
seoulsearch

seoulsearch

OutWrite Trouble
#16
May 23, 2009
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#16
MusicalMe said:
Interesting point, Sharp. I don't know about you but I feel like I change a lot whether I want to or not - like when the missing piece grew too big. So why not do what I can to change in a way that is beneficial or that makes me more self-reliant? (not 'self-reliant' vs. God-reliant, but self-relient vs. significant-other-relient)
Click to expand...
Sharp brought up a very unique perspective... I think it's always necessary to be in some form of constant change or else, I guess technically, we aren't growing, and there is always room to grow. I can only speak from my own experience--I have lots of sharp corners and jagged edges that are getting smoothed out when God "kicks me over" through the various trials of life. I hate going through it, but I'm thankful in the end--I agree with you Anne, about becoming more independent (but not without God) because I used to be extremely clingy, needy, and co-dependent. Thank God for a little kicking around here and there (even through the garbage.)
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#17
#17
"Humans are amphibians—half spirit and half animal. As spirits they belong to the eternal world, but as animals they inhabit time. This means that while their spirit can be directed to an eternal object, their bodies, passions, and imaginations are in continual change, for to be in time means to change. Their nearest approach to constancy, therefore, is undulation—the repeated return to a level from which they repeatedly fall back, a series of troughs and peaks." from The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

I think this quote hits the proverbial nail on the head. Change is the closest thing we have to constancy.

By the way, if you've never read Screwtape, I highly recommend it.
 
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Arj7002

Guest
#18
#18
I understand where sharp is coming from, but to me it spoke more about what is already inside of you, and just showing what you truely are. To me it was like the circle was already there, but the edges (problems with who you are) don't let anyone get to know the real you. I think we all put on a face to some amount when we are around people we are interested in or whatever, but the is oftentimes the problem with relationships. Maybe if we all just put our edges away and showed our real selves for the circles we are, everyone could roll around happily!
 
grace

grace

Senior Member
#19
Sep 8, 2006
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#19
To me it is saying....do not look to someone else to complete you. You are your own individuel...unique and special. We all look different and grow different etc. The missing piece grew in one way because it learned that it does not have to perfectly fit with someone else to be happy. They can be together by learning from each other. (and that is what he did..he learned that if he wore off some of the rough edges that he could experience life much more differently)

anyhoo...that is what I thought.
 
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MusicalMe

Guest
#20
#20
Good thoughts, Arj!
 
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