The pontoon trilogy, pt.2

Pontoon bridges.

In case you have never heard that word, do put on the suit you use to visit wikipedia.

Link

You probably don’t know, as many don’t, that the idea for modern ponton bridges and pontoon piers was Churchill’s. He had it during WWI.

And here is a picture of the little pontoon bridge that substitutes my favorite drawbridge in Paris.

It was also built by the guild of operative engineers. A pontoon bridge is something a Journeyman of the guild has to build before making the most important decision for a member of that guild, outside, perhaps, the one of joining.

During the construction of the pontoon bridge, which of course serves as a test of skill before becoming a Master, the journeyman must reflect whether the time is right to abandon the Reflectorium practices, by which the brothers and sisters of the guild spend some time every week in private discussion with one of their bretheren. Leaving aside the theology of what they do, their practices of paired reflection and meditation are very advanced.

The Journeyman can abandon the practices, and so he becomes an errant brother, or keep on with them. Both ways are accepted as ways to advance spiritually, and the choice of each brother is thoroughly respected. In any case, reaching wisdom is utterly personal endeavor, even if done in the Reflectorium. That is why some brothers decide to do it in spiritual isolation, but in contact with the outside world, which is the opposite of what happens for those who remain.

Science perhaps is very difficult without faith. Also there is no simple way of saying now we have science, we don’t need faith anymore.
Robert Sheckley