[Child of the 7th Age]

Sadly, I do not believe that Middle-earth is a physical reality, either in this world or another parallel universe. And yet.... I also believe that the most important things in the universe are not those that have physical reality. On some level, Tolkien was speaking incredible truths. There is no other way of explaining why his words have touched so many people profoundly in so many different places on our Earth. You know, a well-know guest once came to Tolkien's house in Oxford. This is how the author described the meeting: "I became aware that he was looking fixedly at me. Suddenly he said, 'Of course, you don't suppose, do you, that you wrote all that book yourself?'....I think I said: 'No, I don't suppose so any longer.' An alarming conclusion for an old philologist to draw concerning his private amusement. But not one that should puff any one up who considers the imperfections of "chosen instruments", and indeed what sometimes seems their lamentable unfitness for the purpose." (Letter 328 written in 1971)

This, to me, is a startling admission. And, in my heart, I do believe there is truth spoken here. So physical reality or no, and whether you call him Eru or G-d or Hashem, I feel there was a wind of grace that came to Tolkien so he could share these haunting and compelling tales with us. sharon,the 7th age hobbit