I am just one piece of many puzzles.....

In Washington DC I am just a tiny little puzzle piece that fits into a puzzle of Mount Pleasant
which when complete fits nicely into a puzzle of DC
which fits into a larger puzzle of the United States
which fits into a puzzle of North America
and so on
and so on
and so on
(I have a copy of this puzzle to scale, actual size, but I lack the space to assemble it)
I am just one piece that fits magically into many puzzles
(we all are)
puzzles of the past, present, and future
for each puzzle that I am a piece of, I have a different level of importance
in the puzzle which is my family I am a moderately significant piece
while in my immediate family which consists of a wife, two kids, and two dogs....my position of vitality increases
while at work I am just a small piece of a corporate puzzle that consists of many many small pieces to manufacter a massive puzzle; a puzzle piece that is pretty much expendable
in the world of cycling I am an even smaller piece of the puzzle
whether that puzzle be the puzzle of cycling in the past, present, or future
my contribution is still small
but, that puzzle can be broken up into smaller and smaller and smaller, yet complete puzzles
in the mid atlantic clydesdale mountainbiker puzzle I have a larger piece than when in the puzzle that is mountainbiking as a whole

it is important for us to keep the priorities of these puzzles in order
while making sure that our pieces always fit in cleanly
it is foolish to try and get yourself to fit into a puzzle by force, that is not fitting in at all
may cause more harm than good

no matter how you look at it I am still just one puzzle piece no more no less
expendible in some puzzles while vital in others
so many puzzles could be completed with a part so similar to me
only the puzzle of the family is incomplete without me

if I stopped mountainbiking or quit my job...
another piece would quickly take my place
I would hardly be missed
no one can take this puzzle piece place in his family

just as I am a puzzle piece
I am also a puzzle
I am a husband, a father, a dog owner, a computer guy, a mountainbiker, etc....
all these pieces and more combine to make me the puzzle piece that I am
as insignificant as I may be in the scheme of the world