Happy Woden’s (Odin’s) Day.    

Discussion:

Today is Tolkein’s Day and as most of us might be at home, perhaps picking up and reading one of his books is a good way to celebrate it. I cannot underestimate the influence of the man on my imagination as a boy growing up. The Hobbit remains my favorite fantasy book of all time. The effect on me was to open my horizons and cause me to think more with the eye of how imagination can take us to places we could never go with my other way

Time to Look Through the Eye:

“To see the truth, change one eye for another”

Meditation:

I meditate on my days as a child a lot.  I would have to say the chief influences of that wonderful year I went from elementary school to middle school was one of the best between reading The Hobbit that summer, as well as, Mrs. Frisby and the Rat’s of Nihm (an introduction to science fiction for me)  were both books that set my course.

Of course, I also learned a great deal about adult female anatomy from the teacher who gave me Nihm.  She had a habit of dressing in lingerie that shall we say was a little loose fitting and didn’t cover much.  She apparently didn’t notice my body was going through puberty a little earlier than most boys my age.  Between Tolkein. Nihm and the free anatomy lessons, I found my boy’s heart starting to grow into manhood.

Mystery:

I would say that the same feeling of awe and mystery is with me today.  Tolkien gave me a sense of imaginative mystery that still inspires me to write to this day.  Not to mention giving my favorite wizard of all time – Gandalf. A wizard I might say that is based on Woden – Odin’s English counterpart.

Spirituality:

In some small way, I think this might have been the beginning of my fall from faith.  I found myself constantly at odds with people who would condemn Tolkein for his use of magic or that he was a Catholic.  mY response would be – ‘who cares, the man writes good stories.  It is this rebellion that remains in my soul whenever some busybody with an opinion wants to intrude into my life. A rebellious spirit that lives with me to this day.

Conclusion:

I am grateful to Tolkein for his works and to a time of my life in a summer that I was reading them that made me start shifting from boy to man. Happy Tolkein Day everyone!

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!