Wander With Purpose

Not all those who wander are lost. — Tolkien.

To put Tolkien’s words in context here is the complete phrase from 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.

There are many gems in Tolkien’s trilogy. This is one of my favorites. We are all familiar with the phrase wandering aimlessly. The word wander even implies it is without purpose or direction. But Tolkien reminds us that wandering like sauntering can have purpose. A wander through the woods where one comes upon surprises of nature such as an owl, a rare mushroom, or a gorgeous wildflower is one of life’s great pleasures.

Let me suggest that when you plan your travels or next adventure you include time for wandering. You might come across a grizzly bear, Sasquatch, or God.

 

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About the author

Webb Hubbell is the former Associate Attorney General of The United States. His novels, When Men Betray, Ginger Snaps, A Game of Inches, The Eighteenth Green, and The East End are published by Beaufort Books and are available online or at your local bookstore. When Men Betray won one of the IndieFab awards for best novel in 2014. Ginger Snaps and The Eighteenth Green won the IPPY Awards Gold Medal for best suspense/thriller. His latest, “Light of Day” will be on the bookstands soon.