A Merrier World – J.R.R. Tolkien

On his birthday, I wanted to both honour J.R.R. Tolkien and offer up some of the wisdom that can be found in his writings. Tolkien’s books, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy reflected Tolkien’s own experience in WW1 and as he watched WW2 unfold with all of its horror and bloodshed.

In Chapter 18, Thorin Oakenshield, the King under the Mountain was dying and he shared the following words with Bilbo Baggins.

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. — J.R.R. Tolkien (The Hobbit)

Perhaps we can learn a lesson on living together from both the humble Hobbit and the humbled Dwarf King.