I like puzzles, and I like to hand-quilt.

They’re similar in that they both put pieces together.

But they’re also very different. With puzzles, the corners are found and placed first. They provide direction and structure. With quilts, the corners are quilted last. Quilting starts in the middle and works outward to make sure all the wrinkles in the fabric are smoothed to the outside every step of the way.

We cannot take the exact same approach to everything we do. We must be willing to change as we look at the situation and discern what’s best. We can’t always insist on the easy way, the preferred way, the convenient way, or fastest way, or the most affirming way, although sometimes approaches will overlap as byproducts.

The best approach is always…the best approach.

I’m not just talking about puzzles and quilts. I’m talking about life. Knowing the best requires being willing the humbly look for and listen for the best. It means being willing to try things that are unfamiliar and even uncomfortable at times, listen to people we don’t know well or know well but disagree with, and take one step at a time, knowing that step might take us somewhere productive or might end up being a mistake from which we can learn and grow.

You might not know all the details of the best approach just yet, but you can take one simple step right now. An approach requires movement. Refuse to get stuck. Insist on growing. Take a step.

Approach life well.