It has begun: the countdown to the opening of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (December 13). Like most J.R.R. Tolkien fans, I am both excited and anxious to see the next installment of Peter Jackson’s planned Hobbit trilogy. Before the last film, I reread Tolkien’s novel, plunging myself deep into Middle Earth. I treasure The Hobbit more than any other book in my library, and for good reasons.
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The Hobbit became more than a fantastic world I longed to live in. It summed up core values that I have continued to practice. Bilbo shows bravery and courage; even when he realizes that “adventures are not all pony-rides in May-sunshine,” he carries on with a determined attitude. He became a model of sorts. If a hobbit can handle giant spiders and trolls, then maybe I can handle moving to a new school or city without knowing a soul. I have tried to keep Bilbo’s courageous attitude regarding life’s adventures.
