Holding on and letting go — the old fountain pen writes of connectedness, collaboration and shared promises

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FALLS CHURCH, Va. — When I was in Junior High School my parents and I had a yearly ritual beginning with the first September of the Seventh Grade. I got to pick out a new Esterbrook fountain pen. Learning to fill it with ink, the blue black river of unshaped words, was a thrill I obviously have not forgotten. Just me, and a blank piece of paper, and my pen working together to find out what I was thinking about.

Seasons. (Stanley S. Smith/Borderzine.com)

Seasons – The ordeals of change rushing towards us

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My copy of Eric Hoffer’s, The Ordeal of Change was published in 1976. I am re-reading it now, along with his, The True Believer, and along with that a whole collection of current writing all focused on what kind of creatures we are, and what kind of creatures we need to become, rather rapidly at that, if we are to manage all the ordeals of change that are rushing towards us. “It is my impression that no one really likes the new. We are afraid of it.” That is his opening.