Hobbit Day 2020

Julian Nyča - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 3.0

Today is Hobbit Day, and while I have written many things about Hobbits and Tolkien, today I want to share with you first a video by Malcolm Guite released today in honor of Bilbo and Frodo’s birthday. Second, I’m sharing with you a piece I wrote sometime back for U.S. Catholic Magazine on pipe-smoking, a practice I began in no small part because of Tolkien.

From my piece on pipe-smoking:

There is a rhythm to pipe smoking, a ritual even, one that allows you, if you let it, to enter into a state of contemplation. You must pack the pipe first, and pack it well, else you will have an uneven smoke, causing the pipe either to burn out too quickly or not to stay lit. Then, once properly packed, you must light it. And this too is a ritual. The first light chars the tobacco on top, the second causes the ember to reside deep within the bowl. Once the ritual of packing and lighting is completed comes the smoking. This too must follow some kind of rhythm. Smoke too quickly and you may end up burning a hole through your pipe. Too slowly and you’ll constantly be relighting. But if you can find that sweet spot, that right rhythm, then you can puff away thoughtfully.

Read the rest here.

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