When I was just a young boy, my grandfather made me a wood puzzle with some leftover plywood from his bench.  The puzzle was only about 25 pieces, but for a child the age of 4, it was a bit of a challenge.  When I was older, grandpa took on the arduous task of making me a 100 piece wood puzzle.  I knew it was difficult, and didn’t learn about it until he gave me the puzzle for my 9th birthday.  Wood cuts that small and precise are difficult to make, grandma told me, so I appreciated even more.  I found growing that I had a fascination for carpentry, and though I never pursued a job as a carpenter, it became one of my favorite pastimes when grandpa passed.

For my daughter’s third birthday, I gave her one of the wood puzzles I had made, and told her about how grandpa had done the same for me a long time ago.  Though I hope my daughter doesn’t take up the field of carpentry, there’s definitely an appreciation to be gained from handmade wood toys.