The Autobiographical Tolkien - 'Leaf by Niggle'...

[Kuruharan]

the interruptions

I'd say that those are the unplanned things that come up in life that you can do to help others but you consider them to be a tremendous bother and most people won't do them. (I know that I usually don't.)

the neglected garden

Those things in life that he felt that he should be doing instead of working on Middle earth.

And what do you think of Tolkien's evaluation of his own (un)importance and his fears that his work would not be remembered? I find it heart-rending that this great genius had so many doubts about himself and his life's work.

I'd say that's ventage Tolkien. That was part of his personality.

Perhaps it is precisely that which makes 'Leaf by Niggle' so touching; its author shows his humanity and becomes one of us.

Yes, I think that's true. And maybe that the story carried a hope that our small accomplishments could mean more than we think they could and that we'll be given an opportunity to see the big picture and to finish what we started better than we could have before.