We took too long to put away the Jenga set the last time we played. We did not think to put it away before Ariel came to visit with her three dogs: Hamlet, Nova, and Gwen. Nova took quite the liking to one of the wooden Jenga pieces. The block has now chew marks, the surfaces are uneven, and one end is frayed. The shredded end and rough surfaces the snag onto the other pieces and destabilize the whole level of the tower.

Throwing away the damaged piece would leave the set incomplete. Sticking it at the bottom of the tower would limit its functionality and would demand that I am always careful to stow it away from the upper levels. The only way to keep the set complete and the piece optimally functional is to repair the holes and sand away the rough edges. The piece will never look pristine, but it will be fully functional. More importantly, that imperfect piece will tell a story that makes my Jenga set mine. It makes my Jenga set unique and irreplaceable.

We live through events and relationships that leave their mark. We may see things in ourselves that we label as irreparably damaged, defective, or broken. These imperfections sometimes bring shame or discomfort. It may seem that hiding them is the only solution, because they make us difficult to be around and unlovable. And yet, they make us who we are. These imperfect parts of us need our attention, time, and love, so that we can figure them out and work through them. Not so that we can erase the imperfections, but so that we can own them. Ultimately, we are not complete without them.