A few missing pieces

I have a slight obsession with Dr. Seuss. Okay, slight is probably an understatement. A while back, while cruising through a local bookstore, I found some giant Dr. Seuss puzzles that I immediately fell in love with and purchased. They have since been sitting on my bookshelf, calling my name every time I walk by. And I've sadly passed them by, due to lack of time and energy.

Tonight was the night...I finally broke them out and quickly plopped on the floor to create my Dr. Seuss master pieces. (Dr. Seuss was truly an amazing children's story book author, just thought I'd mention that.) As I was putting them together, I had a thought about life and families and being who we really are.

Without all the pieces in my puzzles, It really isn't a picture at all. It's just an incomplete, series of pieces, with the potential to be something more. The words and story are not complete, but with a little time and a little effort, something amazing and beautiful might be written on the pieces, waiting to be seen and read and shared.


And so, I completed my puzzle tonight. And they were so awesome, and I enjoyed them thoroughly. And I realized that I hold the pieces to writing my own story. Waiting for someone to put your pieces into your puzzle is like my sad Dr. Seuss puzzles, sitting on a book shelf, waiting for me to get around to opening them.

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

...

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't
Because, sometimes they won't.

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike,
And I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never forget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)


Oh! The Places You Will Go
By Dr. Seuss