weaver
Half-elven
It's my turn for a mathom -- today is my 50th birthday, which I share with a friend who first introduced me to Tolkien.
Here I am, a "few" years later, and Tolkien is still a bond for me with my friend of long ago, and the community of folks who gather here.
And what an interesting place this is! Tributes to heroes, book recommendations, pictures of grandkids, returning travelers, Beowulf and Bakshi, inspiring things and funny things -- it's all here. And that's just a glimpse of what's on the Boards right now. Think of all the posts of the past that have come and gone here!
I have only ever met two people from TORn in person, and then for only a few moments. Most here are known to me by the thoughts you have shared, by collaborating with you on things, by working with you on organizing discussions, or your offers of help -- unlooked for and unasked for -- for which I am very grateful. I didn't go looking for any of these when I stumbled through the door looking for a place where people were discussing the LOTR films. I look around now and am amazed at all I found here as well, hidden between the little typed letters that fill these posts.
Tolkien valued comaraderie, and bonds formed over the love of good writing, well formed thoughts, humor and wit, and the simple pleasure that comes from being part of a fellowship that shares a common goal. I would think he'd be right at home here.
To get to this board I have to pass through a Yahoo home page filled with headlines out of Mordor, and there are battles big and small to be fought in all our lives. It strikes me that it is no little thing to find a community of decent people from around the world who come together like this. It is a good thing, that has a ripple effect, I think, in terms of balancing out all the things going on that are tearing people apart. And this is one of only many, many web communities doing the exact same thing, uniting people around common interests, instead of dividing us from one another. Like all things, the web can be used for good or ill, but what happens here, and in places like this, matters deeply, I think -- in ways that go far beyond the things we share and talk about.
So thank you all for bringing this place to life, and to the people who founded and run this place, for providing us with a place where we can all, like Sam, "be expected." To quote Frodo, "Certainly, I looked for no such friendship as you have shown. To have found it turns evil to great good."
Here I am, a "few" years later, and Tolkien is still a bond for me with my friend of long ago, and the community of folks who gather here.
And what an interesting place this is! Tributes to heroes, book recommendations, pictures of grandkids, returning travelers, Beowulf and Bakshi, inspiring things and funny things -- it's all here. And that's just a glimpse of what's on the Boards right now. Think of all the posts of the past that have come and gone here!
I have only ever met two people from TORn in person, and then for only a few moments. Most here are known to me by the thoughts you have shared, by collaborating with you on things, by working with you on organizing discussions, or your offers of help -- unlooked for and unasked for -- for which I am very grateful. I didn't go looking for any of these when I stumbled through the door looking for a place where people were discussing the LOTR films. I look around now and am amazed at all I found here as well, hidden between the little typed letters that fill these posts.
Tolkien valued comaraderie, and bonds formed over the love of good writing, well formed thoughts, humor and wit, and the simple pleasure that comes from being part of a fellowship that shares a common goal. I would think he'd be right at home here.
To get to this board I have to pass through a Yahoo home page filled with headlines out of Mordor, and there are battles big and small to be fought in all our lives. It strikes me that it is no little thing to find a community of decent people from around the world who come together like this. It is a good thing, that has a ripple effect, I think, in terms of balancing out all the things going on that are tearing people apart. And this is one of only many, many web communities doing the exact same thing, uniting people around common interests, instead of dividing us from one another. Like all things, the web can be used for good or ill, but what happens here, and in places like this, matters deeply, I think -- in ways that go far beyond the things we share and talk about.
So thank you all for bringing this place to life, and to the people who founded and run this place, for providing us with a place where we can all, like Sam, "be expected." To quote Frodo, "Certainly, I looked for no such friendship as you have shown. To have found it turns evil to great good."
]
] as well as the Shire [heart]!
