Today the problem was a different one. The leather buckle feeding into the metal clasp broke. It detached - tore away - from the clasp. There's no closing that bag at its usual (and only) juncture anymore, at least for the time being. Everything else on my dossier is in decent condition, so doubtless we will be finding some fix to get in back into commission. It's definitely not the end of the world. It's not even a major inconvenience - though at earlier points in my life, I would certainly have felt it to be one!
As I walked the rest of the way, holding the bag closed, I thought about how central a piece of equipment that particular dossier is for my work, teaching, and even leisure time. That spurred a host of other reflections, and I thought they might prove of some interest if I were to set them down.