04/21/2026
Perspective. The “Conservation Collage” is a puzzle P’s been working on. I’ve helped very few times. His largest puzzle to date, slated for ages 14+ and is 2000 pieces. He’s gotten frustrated a few times at the “lack of progress” he’s made. [His words.] Tonight we had an amazing conversation about the contrast of negative and positive space and how our lens shapes our perspective. I had him focus on the void ~ the black (negative) space for a minute. Next, I had him focus on the positive (filled in, colorful space). Then I asked him which was greater. His immediate answer was: the positive! My next question was “Does that shift how you’re thinking about the puzzle?” He said yes.
A beautiful teaching moment that we all need reminding of: the lens in which we view life, our circumstances, a problem, matters. While there’s always beauty in the negative space artistically (imo), when it comes to your life, the negative space, scarcity mindset is not your friend. It’s rooted in fear; not faith.
And I get it. Unlocking and uprooting the thought patterns that keep us stuck isn’t easy. But it’s worth it. Watching my son’s eyes light up as he “saw” the bigger picture was a blessing. And very worth it.