Between the Lines

Drawing from experience

Raise your non-dominant hand if you enjoy being uncomfortable. I’ll wait. No one?

I’m with you. My left hand is firmly planted in the down position. I think most of us are creatures of habit—even though we keep hearing how important it is to get out of our comfort zone and even though we witness personal growth when we do so.

I’ve been testing this out recently in small doses by doing continuous line drawings using my nondominant hand and a permanent marker, and not eliminating “mistakes.”

Initially, I feel awkward holding the marker in my other hand. I fear the hot mess that is about to happen and question why I’m doing this— until I relax into the experience and trust that I will work things out.

I end up with wonky, imperfect drawings that are surprisingly more interesting than the ones created with my “right” hand.

This issue of the magazine includes stories that encourage us to open ourselves to uncomfortable challenges.

In the cover story about Wheaton’s new Fab Academy course, students share how they were challenged by digital fabrication projects each week. In our feature profiles, writer Michael Easter ’09 tells us about his new book The Comfort Crisis, which extols the benefits of pushing personal limits, and Alexis Nieves ’14, a U.S. diplomat in Spain, shares the advice he gave students about adversity when he paid a virtual visit to a Wheaton class in March. As we return to the parts of life we had to rearrange during the pandemic, many of us likely will be uncomfortable. Getting reacquainted with routines that now seem unfamiliar is not easy. But here we are.

I hope you find inspiration in these stories to encourage you to intentionally try at least one uncomfortable thing this fall. And, yes, trading in yoga pants for real work pants counts.

Be well.

The article in the spring 2021 issue about Helene Pruszynski ’80 was a beautiful tribute for a beautiful person. Although I was in the Class of 1981 and attended Wheaton for two years, I was touched by Helene’s friendship and her kind, welcoming smile. Recipients of the Helene Pruszynski Leadership Award have big shoes to fill. Helene was enjoying life and exploring opportunities for her future as we all need to do in her honor. —Beverley Bryan Vernon ’81

I’ve been admiring Keith Nordstrom’s wonderful photography for a long time but decided that it’s time to say so. I appreciate his reflections in the pond and also many good shots of Mary Lyon. It goes without saying that the whole magazine is worth reading. I enjoy reading about the things that young graduates are doing. Life is so different from when I was at Wheaton, when we saw the end of WWII. Thank you for the fine magazine. —Constance McCollum Gum ’48

I enjoyed your article on President Marshall. I will always remember her grace and ease in social situations. I first met her at my freshman orientation. I was a “young” 18-year-old, first-generation college student and scared to death. She asked me how I was doing, and I said, “OK,” in a soft voice. She laughed and said, “No, no, no. Wheaton is a positive place. You’re GREAT!” It made me laugh. I also had the unfortunate luck of wearing the exact same purple Talbots dress that she wore to a reception. I believe I was performing with the Whims, and I was just mortified. But, of course, she put me at ease. My fellow Whims never let me forget that one.

COMMENTS

MAGAZINE

Vol. 111, No. 3

Director of communications and magazine editor

Sandy Coleman

Designer

David Laferriere

Multimedia producer

Keith Nordstrom

Staff writer Laura Pedulli

Administrative assistant

Ellen Cataloni

Vice president for marketing and communications

Gene Begin

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Wheaton , The Magazine of Wheaton College (ISSN 1068-1558), is published three times a year (winter, spring and fall) by Wheaton College and printed by Lane Press of Burlington, Vt. Periodicals postage paid at Norton, Mass., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Wheaton College, Norton, MA 02766. Wheaton College © 2021