This week, J.R.R. Tolkien would have had his 126th birthday on January 3rd, had he lived so long in a Gandalf sort of way, or had he grown as old as Thorin Oakenshield in his prime at nearly 200 -- or even older, like Treebeard, one of the Ents, a race of very old creatures in Middle Earth. If you appreciate the mystery of synchronicity, it's also interesting that January 3rd in the old Celtic calendar is the original Beltane date, later celebrated around February 1st: a magical date for Tolkein's birth.
So as we set off into another year, it seems appropriate to give Tolkien a nod. It suits the season more than you might think at first -- Tolkien wrote a classic Christmas book, The Father Christmas Letters, which has been a favorite in our house since our boys were little guys. Tolkien wrote and illustrated a wonderful series of letters from Father Christmas to the four Tolkien children beginning in 1925 until they grew older. Each annual letter, carefully handwritten and illustrated by Tolkien himself, was a narrative of Father Christmas' adventures at the North Pole, often featuring his secretary-elf, Ilbereth and several calamities involving a certain polar bear - the letters also detailed the mischief the elves got into, and the trouble with the Goblins who now and then attacked the North Pole sanctuary. Sometimes it was quite a challenge for Father Christmas to get all the toys delivered to boys and girls in England and all around the world! The letters, illustrated by Tolkien with watercolor drawings and illuminated calligraphy, all attributed to Father Christmas himself, are simply magical.
Tolkien was not only a brilliant historian and scholar and a genius who created the gold standard in fantasy literature - and the genre itself. He was also a gifted artist who made over a hundred illustrations, mostly in pen and watercolor, to illustrate his stories. Many of his illustrations established the look and the imagery of the countless editions of his novels and even informed the film versions of his work.
In honor of Tolkien’s 126th birthday –- and to mark the first week of this very new year -- here are some of Tolkien's paintings and a little of his gentle wisdom -- a few thoughts to take with you as we move forward into what we hope will be a wonderful year. (We all certainly deserve a great year!) If you are interested in more of his work, just give it a google and discover his incredible artworks!
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
- The Fellowship of the Ring
Courage is found in unlikely places. -- The Fellowship of the Ring
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
- The Fellowship of the Ring
“May the wind under your wings bear you where the sun sails and the moon walks.” - The Hobbit
Have a wonderful, wise, happy and healthy year!
~Susan