Today starts a Spiritual Retreat that is themed after The Fellowship of the Ring, as I gather with my fellow Christians to reflect on our spirituality I also wanted to reflect on why I have such a great love for Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings series.

If asked if I had a choice to visit the universe of any of my favorite fandoms which one would I visit?

It would be Middle Earth. I have imagined myself in that world and wonder what it would be like to visit the places of the elves and of the Shire. I imagine myself sometimes as a statuesque elf living in the woods of Lothlorian and taking the journey to the Grey Havens to sail on to Valinor.

Of course, realistically I am built more like a hobbit.

When I delve into the books and the stories I am enveloped by the wonder and the ethereal world that is Middle Earth. Even though I have started reading The Silmarillion I have yet to finish it but I almost feel like that book makes the world of Middle Earth even more real to me in my mind. It is like a bible I think, a bible that we can still find meaning in even though it’s fiction.

Because in the end what is the Lord of the Ring series than a story about good versus evil.