The Puzzle of The Pauley Principle, Part 2

Life on the Edge

Let's assume you now have an outline of your life's needs, you see your life's puzzle as shaping into a meaningful order and you have developed a plan for filling in the gaps around the edge. You may have decided to replace some pieces to make life more fulfilling for you and your family. Remember, the whole reason for doing this puzzle exercise is to enrich the quality of your life. The rest of your life's picture will start to develop soon.

The time may have come to talk to others, possibly to collaborate on a shared garden or a spot for a fruit tree. Perhaps you just need to borrow a tool. In previous posts, I suggest beginning small, starting with supplementing your meals with tomatoes and herbs that you have grown. If you decide to do that, you may want to start seeds indoors now.  As you look at seed catalogs and brainstorm on possibilities, you may decide you can plant other crops as well.

Now, plan ahead for longevity. If you're over fifty, don't assume life is over for you. Invest now, before prices climb too high. In a downturned economy, small investments can pay off in huge ways.  Your need for food is supplemented by your own hard work, helping to complete or strengthen your puzzle's edge. A berry patch or a couple of fruit trees can eventually bear more than enough fruit for you even if you work out a co-op with someone who has land for the planting. Sharing isn't only nice, it's the smart thing to do! Excess produce or tillable land that you share become pieces that go in the center of your puzzle.  Think of ways that you can help others. In order to get to the center, perform every act and decision out of love, never in greed.

While you're working on the edge of your life's puzzle, there's one final thing you need to know: This puzzle's edge changes shape over time. Plan now so that you're not continually living on the edge, patching up the gaps. The richness of life is centered beyond yourself. The exciting part comes next, as you begin to see overlap in the puzzle and the full picture reveals itself.