The Missing Piece

Vivien Atkinson

Throughout human history solving the puzzles of life, the deeply complex scientific

and philosophical or the everyday problems that need answers have intrigued and plagued

mankind. How satisfying when the final piece of the puzzle slots into place and the search is

resolved – that eureka moment, sometimes quiet, sometimes shout out loud.

During one of the Covid lockdowns I worked on a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle purchased from a

charity shop. It was a photo-mosaic puzzle, each piece having multiple tiny images that made

putting it together frustrating – it took weeks. It didn’t occur to me that anything other than

success would be the final result – alas as the last remaining pieces found their homes, I

realized that one piece was missing.

The missing piece remains forever a reminder of something lost, unknown, a place of yearning

and searching.

Vivien Atkinson 2023