Stories and Puzzles: What We See and Imagine (Part 2)

[Click here to read Part 1 of 'Stories and Puzzles:  What We See and Imagine'.]

Nineteen people at our Dialogue retreat were given 60 puzzle pieces each and asked to  assemble their puzzle.  Memories of childhood; liking or not liking jigsaw puzzles; cherished family time; frustration at not feeling adequate... Isn't it amazing what memories and emotions bubble up as we encounter simple and complex tasks in our daily lives?

For the retreat participants, though, individual assembly of the pieces was only the beginning!  A period of Speed Puzzling occurred:  people met in pairs and quickly described five key descriptors of the puzzle section they possessed.  We were asked to share what we saw and imagined, and then move on to the next person... seeing how many people we could meet in ten minutes!  The goal?  To gather as much information as possible in a limited amount of time!  Doesn't this sometimes describe life in our fast-paced world?

Seeing Alone:  how much can you see?

After Speed Puzzling, the participants were given time to reflect individually on what information was gathered.  Was it helpful?  Did it raise any thoughts about the descriptors shared?  What was missing?  What assumptions or questions were present?

Next, we met in larger groups.  Instead of speed puzzling - sharing as much information as possible in a short amount of time, people were allowed to share additional information, ask questions, and check out assumptions in a more relaxed environment.

Up until this point, no one could look at another person's puzzle section.  It was all verbal.  So much like our energetic, verbal world!  We talk!  Now, though, the pace had slowed down and people were invited to listen and ask questions.  More information was shared more freely and compared against the Puzzle-Reality each person possessed.

Seeing Together:  comparing what we see... and don't see

We were finally allowed to reveal our puzzle sections and assemble them.  One of the assumptions that had begun to surface was whether people saw or imagined the same end:  Did we all have sections of the same puzzle?  Or were there several puzzles in play?

When we had the opportunity to see and assemble all of the sections, Reality became obvious:  there were three puzzles in play!  Some of the information gathered may not have been meant for the puzzle I envisioned and tried to assemble.  But, it was relevant and important in another context!

Seeing All:  there may be more than what we imagine

I wonder:

• How often are we caught up in Speed Puzzling, quickly sharing and gathering parts of the our reality?
• Are we willing to Engage Reflectively, rather than reflexively: providing more information; explaining our thought processes; asking questions; and providing context and detail that may have been assumed, overlooked, or deemed irrelevant?
• Can we entertain the possibility that there may be more than one Life-Puzzle: that what we see and experience individually may not be relevant in all situations?

May this week provide moments of reflection which open us to a much broader picture: we are blessed with an abundance of Life-Puzzles!

Larry Gardepie
Dialogue San Diego Consulting