These two poems were originally published in Celtic Song by Impspired. These poems convey the importance of books, myth, poetry, bookshops, and how story conveys truth bringing together both reason and imagination. Included in this post are some pictures from a trip this very day in August of 2025 when I took a bus from Glasgow to Inverness to check out Leakey’s bookshop. That was a grand day!

Ode to Books

Some of my best hours,

Have been spent immersed in a paperback or hardback

book,

Language has a great power,

Of bringing one tears of sorrow, empathy, laughter, and joy

Whether by a fireside, in a pub, a coffee shop,

Or in an Autumn, Winter, Spring, or Summer wood.

Ode to Myth

Stories told around bonfires, sacred groves, stone circles,

Mead halls, and under the stars

That help us understand why we are here and who we are

Are retold in many different and unique ways,

In a universal language, through poetry, prose, film,

Painting, and dance,

Many important transcendent truths they convey!

!

.

This is a revised nonfiction piece that was originally published in my book Artists, Myth & Hope by Grant Hudson of Clarendon House Publications. This piece is dedicated to my friend Connor. Connor gave me the opportunity to a do a freelance writing job a few years ago while I was also working full-time. Doing the freelance writing job allowed my writing to get better, and the book Artists, Myth & Hope was birthed out of that freelance writing job. The last time I saw Connor was when we were both studying at different universities in Scotland in 2025. Thanks for reading!

Why Should You Read C. S. Lewis' Cosmic Trilogy?

C. S. Lewis’ Cosmic Trilogy is a science fiction series written
between 1938 and 1943. Lewis discusses many themes in these three novels, especially critiquing scientific materialism. Lewis was concerned about the ramifications of Darwinian thought and technocracy manifesting in the modern world. This inspired him to write Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength. Why are these books important, and what can readers learn from them?

What Inspired C. S. Lewis to Write the Cosmic Trilogy?

The first book of the Cosmic

Trilogy was published in 1938.
The book was birthed out of Lewis’ conversation with his
friend and fellow writer J. R. R. Tolkien about writing the
kind of books they would like to read. Both friends
challenged each other: Tolkien began working on a story
about time which was never finished, and Lewis began
writing his story about space travel. As a young atheist,
Lewis read the science fiction of H. G. Wells. His reading of
Wells inspired him to write his science-fiction trilogy as a
rebuttal to the scientific materialism of Wells and other
thinkers.

Is There a Message in C. S. Lewis’ Cosmic Trilogy?

Having once been an atheist himself who believed
everything could be explained in an empirical materialistic
way, Lewis understood how dangerous this Darwinian view
could be when applied to academia, economics, the arts,
sciences, and daily life for the average person. Lewis saw
examples of how the logical outworking of this view
degrades humanity, animals, and the planet.

Lewis was horrified by the evils of vivisection, how many
in power exploited the poor, and saw the appalling evil done
towards the Jewish people during World War Two when
Hitler was on the rise. Lewis helped many orphans and
widows in need through his agape fund set up by his friend
Owen Barfield, and several young evacuees came to stay
with him at his home, The Kilns, when England was being
bombed.

An important distinction is that people with a materialistic
view of the world can be good human beings like anyone
else. Though Lewis disagreed with their views, he respected
those who held it. A good example of this from Lewis’ That
Hideous Strength is the character McPhee—modeled on
William Kirkpatrick, Lewis’ tutor as a young atheist. In the
story, McPhee is a dialectician that loves philosophical debate
and doubts the supernatural’s existence. Though he
disagrees with Ransom’s Christian worldview, he still
respects him, as Ransom does McPhee.

In each book of the Cosmic Trilogy, Lewis weaves in the
theological virtues of faith, hope, and love. He presents the
vastness of the cosmos not as cold, dead space but as a glorious reflection of God’s beauty and glory. This view of the heavens was part of medieval cosmology.

What Happens in Book 1 of C. S. Lewis’ Cosmic Trilogy?

Out of the Silent Planet opens with Elwin Ransom on a
walking holiday. He ends up meeting a former school fellow
Richard Devine after breaking up a confrontation between
Devine, his colleague Weston, and a young lad they planned
to take to Mars.

Ransom is drugged and kidnapped by Weston and Devine
and is taken with them to the planet Mars as a sacrifice
offering to appease the inhabitants of the planet. Not
knowing anything about the different sentient beings that
inhabit the planet, they assume a vicarious offering must be
made to ensure their protection and planned exploitation for
profit.

On Mars, Ransom meets an eldil. In the story, the eldil are
angels under the rule of Maleldil—a Christ archetype similar
to Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia. Ransom also meets the
extraterrestrial beings native to the planet—the hrossa, the
horns, and the pfifltriggi. Each species has its own unique
culture on Mars.

Augray, the Sorn, takes Ransom to meet Oyarsa. During
the journey, Ransom tells Augray what things are like on
Earth, and Ransom is captivated by the Martian landscape.
Ransom learns that Earth is called the ‘silent planet' because
of humanity’s fall into sin.

What Happens in Book 2 of C. S. Lewis’ Cosmic Trilogy?

In Perelandra, Ransom is brought to Venus by Oyarsa, the
eldil ruler of Mars. In the first chapter, a fictional version of
Lewis talks with Ransom about preparations before he
leaves. Ransom has no idea why he is being brought to
Perelandra—as the eldil call Venus—only that sinister forces
want to get involved in the planet as well.
Once Ransom lands on Perelandra, he encounters a
beautiful landscape with incredible oceans. He encounters a
dragon-like creature, sea people, and the Green Lady, the
Eve-like mother of the planet.

Weston’s character eventually shows up as a Satanic
figure. Weston’s reason for coming to the newly created
planet is to tempt the Green Lady with beguilement to bring
death and evil onto the planet just as Satan did on Earth.
Philosophical dialogues between the Unman (Weston),
Ransom, and the Green Lady occur throughout the book. In
these dialogues, the Unman comes close to teaching the
Green Lady death.

John Milton’s Paradise Lost, an epic poem about creation
and the fall of humankind published in 1667, influenced the
story of Perelandra in clear ways. Milton was one of Lewis’
favorite English poets, inspiring him to write the scholarly
work A Preface To Paradise Lost. The study was published in
1941, based on Lewis’ lectures at the University College of
North Wales

What Happens in Book 3 of C. S. Lewis’ Cosmic Trilogy?

That Hideous Strength begins with Jane Studdock
attempting to write a dissertation on poet John Donne. Her
husband, sociologist Mark Studdock, seeks to join a research
rm called NICE led by Lord Feverstone. Eventually, it becomes clear that Feverstone is none other than Devine from the rest of the books.

Mark doesn’t know what he is in for seeking to join
Feverstone’s circle. The NICE is a cultish organization that
seeks world domination through science and dark powers,
no matter the costs. Meanwhile, Jane meets Ransom, living nearby at St.Anne’s, with a community who know about NICE’s true intentions. Their plans to stop the villains become connected to the fact Ransom is descended from King Arthur, and
legends claim that Merlin is hibernating in nearby woods.

That Hideous Strength proves quite prophetic, describing a
technocracy where technology has become a deity
and religion is seen as primitive superstition unrelated to real
life. Lewis exposes the logical outworking of scientific
materialism. His argument can be summed up as belief in a
good and loving God who brought everything into being is
more logical than believing that directionless physical forces
created human beings, morality, consciousness, animals, art,
love, and beauty.

The Arthurian legend mythology Lewis weaved into That
Hideous Strength was inspired by his friend Charles Williams’
poem cycle, Taliesin Through Logres, published in 1938.
Williams’ poems feature Arthurian characters like the Welsh Bard Taliesin, King Arthur, and the wizard Merlin seeking the restoration of God’s earthly kingdom.

. This poem was originally published in Celtic Song by Impspired. Thanks for reading!

Dunluce Castle
At the magnificent Dunluce Castle
Looking out on the Antrim Coast
I felt like I was on the threshold of Narnia
And that Aslan was close
I can still feel the wind, see the vast expanse of the marine
blue,
Hear the waves crashing against the rocks
As I walked around Dunluce Castle in my green converse
shoes
At the giftshop there I purchased a Celtic Cross
An icon of hope
That theological virtue is at the heart of all the Narnia
books
Fairy tales inspired by the Irish Ulsterman C. S. Lewis
Who loved the beautiful County Antrim Coast!

What Can We Learn from George MacDonald’s Phantastes?

The fantasy novel Phantastes has influenced many writers,
but had a particularly profound impact on the spiritual
journey of C. S. Lewis. How did this book, published in 1858, influence Lewis’ journey from atheism to theism and Christianity? What Do We Know about the author of Phantastes?

George MacDonald was born in Scotland on December 10,
1824. He suffered the loss of his mother at the age of eight
and was raised by his father, George MacDonald, Sr. Though
MacDonald was thankful to have been raised in the Church,
he rejected the Calvinism of Protestant theologians John
Calvin and John Knox, the predominant theological
paradigm in Scotland at the time.

MacDonald found the either/or of Calvinism and
Arminianism to be a false dichotomy and saw no
contradiction between the sovereign grace of Christ and a
human being’s free will. MacDonald believed that Jesus of
Nazareth came to rescue humanity not to satisfy a wrathful
deity but because He loves all humanity with an agape love.
This was MacDonald’s theology of the atonement leading MacDonald to embracing Christian Universalism taught by church fathers such as Gregory of Nyssa, Origen, and Clement of Alexandria.

As a young man, MacDonald delighted in reading the
Bible, Scottish folktales, Celtic myths, and works like Dante
Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy, John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s
Progress, John Milton’s Paradise Lost, and the poetry of John
Keats, Percy Shelley and Robert Burns. In his twenties,
MacDonald felt a call to become a minister. MacDonald
received his theological education at King’s College in
Aberdeen, Scotland, and Highbury Seminary in London,
England. He became a pastor in the English town of Arundel.
However, the ministry path took him in an unexpected
direction.

How Did George MacDonald Go from Being a Pastor to a
Writer?

As MacDonald expert Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson explains, he
did not have a stable career as a minister partly because of
his unconventional theological views and partly because of
the congregation he was attempting to serve in Arundel,
England. The two pastors who served before him were fired,
and MacDonald resigned because he could not afford to
support his family from such low wages. MacDonald’s theological views were controversial since he believed that animals have souls, rejected the doctrines of biblical inerrancy and substitutionary atonement, and believed that all, in the end, would be saved even if it took a purifying purgatorial state . MacDonald expressed his theological views in books like Unspoken Sermons (published between
1867 and 1889).

What did MacDonald believe about Scripture and Christ’s
atonement?

MacDonald believed in the divine inspiration of Scripture
but saw Jesus of Nazareth as the true word of God and saw
atonement theories as distractions from the reality of Jesus
displaying agape love through his Incarnation, Death, and
Resurrection in the first century. In this context, Christ came
to rescue all humanity and not simply for the elect.
Despite criticism from the evangelicals of his day who had
issues with his theology, MacDonald reflected the agape love
of Christ in his writings and life. His literary legacy has
helped bring many people to Christ who have had negative
experiences with a fundamentalist upbringing and organized
religion, and those that disagree with MacDonald’s worldview still respect him as an important writer and thinker.

Unable to make a living as a pastor, MacDonald turned to
lecturing, tutoring, and writing. MacDonald married Louisa
Powell in 1851. Together, they had eleven children and lived
their final years in Italy because of MacDonald’s lung health
issues. MacDonald wrote over 50 books, leaving behind a great
literary legacy. His writing included novels, poetry, fairy
tales and two fantasy novels. MacDonald’s best-known fairy
tale today is The Princess and the Goblin. His writings have
influenced great writers like G. K. Chesterton, C. S.
Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, J. R. R. Tolkien, Joy Davidman,
Ursula K. Le Guin, and Dorothy L. Sayers.

What Is the Plot of Phantastes?

The fantasy novel opens with the main character, Anodos,
encountering a fairy woman on his 21st birthday. She tells
him he will soon journey to the realm of Faerie on an
adventure. The next morning, Anodos finds himself not in
the world of mortal human beings but in Faerie, as
prophesied by the fairy woman. Anodos travels through the forest, encountering beings of all shapes and sizes. The first encounter with danger Anodos has is with the evil ash tree. The lady of the beech tree saves him from being devoured by the malicious being. The beech tree dryad becomes Anodos’ ideal of beauty throughout the story.

As he searches for his ideal beauty, Anodos is deceived
many times, suffering the ramifications of giving into his
false idealism. Before Anodos returns to the mortal realm, he finds
himself at a ceremony where a sacrifice is being performed
by people dressed in white hooded garments. Sensing that
something evil is happening, Anodos breaks the idol. A
malicious wolf is revealed to be the demonic creature being
appeased by the cult. Anodos dies while attempting to stop
the evil being. In this self-sacrificial act, Anodos learns what
it truly means to surrender one’s pride in an act of
compassion reflecting Christ’s agape love.

Is Phantastes a Religious Allegory?
Readers have often discussed MacDonald’s fairy tales as
allegories and one can certainly interpret Phantastes allegorically. For example, Anodos’ journey through the realm of Faerie back to the mortal realm can be interpreted as a symbol of the soul’s journey to surrender to Christ: a death to self to experience abundant life.

The fairy woman Anodos encounters in the cottage after

he experiences failure and grief, who consoles and helps him
finish his quest, could be interpreted as a Christ-like
archetype. In his biography about his father, George MacDonald And His Wife, Greville MacDonald makes an important point in the chapter about Phantastes that his father’s book can be interpreted allegorically but is very multilayered in its different themes and literary influences.

Greville includes a quote from his father’s letter to Mrs. A.J. Scott, where
MacDonald says, ‘I hope Mr. Scott will like my fairy-tale. I
don’t see what right the Athenaeum has to call it an allegory
and judge it or misjudge accordingly—as if nothing but an
allegory could have two meanings!’ MacDonald’s motive in the story was to convey important theological truths that leave room for the reader to discover what those truths mean in the context of their own experience.

In his essay ‘The Fantastic Imagination,’ MacDonald
conveys that myths and fairy tales communicate the deepest
truths (and not just through allegory). The truths conveyed
are embedded in the narrative for the reader to discover and
affect readers’ hearts and minds in different ways. The late
MacDonald scholar Rolland Hein conceded this in many of
his writings about MacDonald.

How Did Phantastes Influence C.S. Lewis?
While at a train station in England, the 16-year-old C. S.
Lewis happened to pick up a copy of Phantastes. At this point
in his life, Lewis had become an atheist, rejecting Christianity
on historical and existential grounds. After reading the
fantasy novel, Lewis described it as ‘baptizing my
imagination,’ helping him to see ordinary things as
wondrous. Lewis’ profound encounter with the book sowed
the seed for his embracing faith in Christ years later at 32.
Lewis conveyed how Phantastes changed his outlook in
many writings—including his autobiography Surprised by
Joy, his foreword to George MacDonald: An Anthology, and
many of his letters. He described how the sense of holiness
experienced from reading the fairy tale could not be
rationalized as something escapist or wishful thinking.
The book connected to Lewis’ transcendent experiences of
joy, and those factors pushed him to recognize the limits of
logical positivism. Logical positivism assumes that only
statements that can be proven with facts and logic are correct.
Lewis’ experiences reading Phantastes and other works and
various nature experiences that left him with a spiritual
longing pushed him to realize there must be more to life than
just what he could logically prove.

Lewis’ tutor, dialectician William Kirkpatrick, had trained
him to understand the laws of logic, different views on
metaphysics, ethics, religion, and the importance of
intellectual and emotional honesty. This honest philosophical
approach made Lewis reconsider his views, given how
experiences like reading Phantastes affected him.

Over time, admitting that logical positivism was not
enough and conversations with Christian friends like Hugo
Dyson and J. R. R. Tolkien led Lewis back to Christianity.
The poetry, mythology, and Christian virtues of faith,
hope, and love conveyed in MacDonald’s Phantastes altered
the trajectory of Lewis’ life. Lewis cited it in the top ten books
that influenced his worldview. Lewis would re-read Phantastes throughout his life and some of MacDonald’s other fantasy works, such as The Golden Key, Lilith, The Princess and The Goblin, At the Back of the North Wind, and The Day Boy and The Night Girl.

I also drove by the house where my life was changed by the music of Jon Foreman, Enya, Celtic Woman, the writings of C.S.Lewis, J.R.R.Tolkien, George MacDonald, Madeleine L’Engle, Robert Frost and John Keats. Keats’ poetry inspired me to pen a poem years ago called “Autumn” included in Tir na Nog published by Impspired. Autumn, in my subjective opinion, is the greatest season of all, and this poem evokes my great love for the season. Years later I had no idea I would make it, much less get to experience the beauty of Autumn in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the mountains of North Carolina. Yet, by grace, I did, and I am really thankful my journey led me to live in the British Isles as well as Appalachia. This Substack piece is a way of expressing my love for the British isles, the mountains of North Carolina, and the season of Autumn. Both poems “Autumn” and

“Mystical Mountains” are included in this. “Mystical Mountains” was also published in Tir na Nog. Thank you for reading!

Mystical Mountains

During Autumn, Winter, Summer, and
Spring,
These primitive majestic mountains
To my soul, they bring
Transcendent joy, artistic inspiration
And an awareness that I am not alone,
In the cosmos
Despite my doubt
The Great Artist is making all things new
Through work, rest, art, comedy, compassion, love,
And mystical mountain views.

Autumn

Sing little feathered one,
Thy rapturous song of Autumn's reign;
Ere long her leaves shall fall and be gone
As old man
Winter makes his frigid way.
But for now I sing with you little feathered one,
Every note of Autumn's beauty and mirth;
Ere long,you shall be gone
Leaving the sweetest song that
Maketh my heart leap up!

I have a very worn copy of The Return of the King I got from Topping & Company in St. Andrews when I lived in Scotland. Going from Perth to St. Andrews with my friends, having my first proper beach day in Scotland, and finding that beautiful hardback edition of a book by my favorite author made for one of the best days of my life. I can still remember it vividly! I cherish the particular copy of The Return of the King, carry it with me everywhere I go, and it is a reminder to me that despite the existential darkness and chaos in the world, existential doubt and struggles with depression and confusion in my own life at times, there is hope, and it is hope that keeps me going. That virtue is at the heart of Tolkien’s myth. The influence from different world mythologies, and the influence of Finnish, Welsh, Irish, Old Norse, Anglo- Saxon, and other languages is all very important indeed, but the virtue of hope really shines through in the book in such a powerful way, and is the most important aspect of the story in my opinion. I believe that is why millions of people from different worldview and cultural backgrounds reread The Lord of the Rings again and again. Tolkien was a bard, myths explore the complexity and mystery of being human, and evoke the divine.

It is amazing to me that although J. R. R. Tolkien sadly was an orphan, and lost many of his friends in the hell of World War I, he was still able to function, became an incredible Oxford professor, believed in a good and loving Creator, and married his beloved Edith, who was also an orphan. Edith inspired Tolkien’s Luthien and Arwen characters in his mythology, which I think is beautiful and incredibly moving. I am thankful that Tolkien survived such a terrible war. He gave the world some great works of literature like The Hobbit, The Silmarillion, Tree and Leaf, Smith of Wootton Major, Farmer Giles of Ham, The Monsters and The Critics, his translations of Beowulf, Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, Pearl, Sir Orfeo, and his masterpiece, The Lord of The Rings.

Without the encouragement of his friend C. S. Lewis, J. R.R. Tolkien would have never finished writing The Lord of the Rings. Many of us cannot imagine a world without The Lord of the Rings. Thank goodness for the encouragement of the Irish Ulsterman Lewis! The friendship between both Tolkien and Lewis is a great example of how important encouragement is. I would not be where I am at on my journey as a writer if it was not for the encouragement of other writer friends I have come to know. I have tried to provide that same encouragement on my own journey. Encouragement is desperately needed, especially during these strange and confusing times.

I can imagine the intense joy Tolkien must have felt when he first held a copy of The Fellowship of the Ring in his own hands in 1954. I felt that same joy when I got to write about Tolkien in Surprised by Agape, Tir na Nog, hold physical copies of both books in my hands, and got to sign some in proper bookshops because people cared to read them. Tolkien is such an inspiration to me, and his works have made me weep tears of

joy! Tolkien inspires me to pursue my passion for writing, literature, and art, live out my faith, love people of different worldviews, love with passion, and strive to be gentle, kind, brave, honest, and jovial. Thankful. What an epic journey it has been!

In this Substack piece is a short wee poem called “Ode to Scotland” that was originally published in Celtic Song by Impspired. This poem captures

my great love for Scotland, its history, art, culture, folklore, landscape, and people. Though I have a great affection for where I am currently living in Appalachia, Scotland will always be home!

Ode to Scotland

How good it was to enjoy a wee dram of Jura with the

Scotsman David Jack

In bonny Scotland, under the banner of St. Andrew’s flag,

Experiencing the Highlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Stirling, and Dundee,

The fish & chips, bookshops, coffee shops, haggis, pints of Guinness,

Belhaven, fine whisky, and Scottish hospitality,

Was all just grand!

How thankful I am for the Isle of Alba

That sacred Scottish land!

Ursula K. Le Guin

I remember when I was a teenager and seeing advertisements for the Sci-Fi TV series The Legend of Earthsea. I never ended up watching the television mini-series that came out in 2003 to my great regret because I was more concerned with watching The Simpsons, Family Guy, and The Fresh Prince of Bel- Air. Years later, after college, Grant Hudson of Clarendon House Publications recommended the Earthsea fantasy book series to me, written by Ursula K. Le Guin, and I am very glad that the Englishman did! I had never read anything by Le Guin before, so I was quite excited about reading this new fantasy writer my English friend highly praised. When I started the book, I soon found myself being immersed in this secondary world of dragons, witches, mages, peril, dark and good magic, love, hope, belief and identity. The story of Ged, who comes to be known as Sparrowhawk, goes on a perilous quest where he ends up finding himself, and learning the meaning of his true name. The poignant theme of identity in the first book, is something which resonates deeply with myself and many readers.

In my life, I have gone through many different periods of identity crisis experiences in a desperate search to find out who Justin Wiggins is. The beginning of that journey was exhausting and painful because I would fabricate different personas to fit in with a particular group of people so I would be accepted and not be alone and ostracized from the herd. The phases never lasted long though, and, like Ged in Le Guin’s fantastical book about the great paradox of the human condition, I was forced to lose myself in order to find my true self. When that painful but also healing metamorphosis in my life happened, I felt an intense freedom I never had before. I felt finally at peace because I became the same Justin Wiggins at the pub, the coffee shop, restaurants, bookshops, and alone at home. The other books in the series are certainly worth reading, but the first one, A Wizard of Earthsea, will always be my favorite. Ursula K. Le Guin does fantasy well, and her nonfiction is also incredibly inspiring

.

Why Should We Remember Madeleine L’Engle?

One of the great science fiction and fantasy authors of the twentieth century, Madeleine L’Engle was also a Christian who fervently believed that creativity was a God-given gift to use well. How did she go about using her gift? Madeleine L’Engle was a prolific female author inspired by the writings of George MacDonald and C. S. Lewis. L’Engle won the Newbery Award for her book A Wrinkle In Time, leaving behind a legacy that inspires millions of artists worldwide. So, what can people learn from her life and work?

L’Engle was an actress, poet, and author of over 45 books. Born to an artistic family in New York, L’Engle grew up loving books, stories, music, poetry, and acting. However, she struggled to make friends at boarding schools in Switzerland and Charleston, South Carolina. She was shy, quiet, and a bit socially awkward. These idiosyncrasies later became her strengths as she made her way as a writer in New York while pursuing her education and acting career. After her father passed away in 1936, L’Engle vowed to pursue her passion for writing as he had encouraged her to. Words were her vocation.

L’Engle found success at a surprisingly young age. Her first book, The Small Rain, was published when she was only 27. During her time in New York, L’Engle starred in many plays. She met her future husband, Hugh Franklin, while they both performed in a production of Anton Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard.After marrying Hugh and living in New York for a while near her family, they decided to move to Connecticut. They settled into a farmhouse called Crosswicks but moved back to New York in 1959 to support Hugh’s acting work. The year they returned to New York, L’Engle had an idea for a book that over 25 publishers would reject over the next three years. Her persistence finally paid off: A Wrinkle In Time was published in 1962 to great acclaim and is still in print today. Between 1962 and L’Engle’s death, she wrote many more books, gave lectures around the world, and taught classes on writing and the power of story.

What Can Readers Learn from Madeleine L’Engle?

One of the most valuable things readers can learn from L’Engle is understanding the importance of art in daily life. L’Engle believed human beings are created in the image of God—we glorify God using our unique gifts, whether someone is a doctor, writer, social worker, counselor, poet, professor, nurse, teacher, mechanic, or bookseller. Raised in a home that encouraged creativity and gave her a love for story, L’Engle understood the importance of art as a gift from Christ to humanity. Art is not dissociated from real life. It is an important activity, and whatever its form (music or painting, film or literature), it explores what it means to be human. Jesus of Nazareth telling parables reminds us that sometimes storytelling is the best way to say profound things about the kingdom of God. Many writers of different worldview perspectives have been inspired by L’Engle or written in a similar vein. L’Engle singled out several writers she admired, like Frederick Buechner, who shared her interest in well-crafted Christian storytelling. As a member of the Chrysostom Society, she belonged to the same community as writers like Walter Wangerin Jr. and Robert Siegel, who also used fantasy or science fiction to explore Christian themes. Other writers, like Tish Harrison Warren and Rachel Held Evans, have expressed gratitude to L’Engle and described how her work informed their artistic endeavors. I am immensely thankful for the artistic legacy of L’Engle.

This is a revised nonfiction piece that was originally published in Tir Na Nog by Impspired in 2022.


Ray Bradbury's hatred of fascism, and his love for books, libraries, and art, inspired him to write Fahrenheit 451. When doing research on Bradbury's career as a writer, I found it moving to learn that when he was living in California with his wife Maggie and both were raising their two daughters, they were quite poor, and Bradbury was trying to make his way as a writer. What helped Bradbury find his way when he didn’t have much money? Bradbury could never afford to go to college, and yet he ended up writing Fahrenheit 451 simply by renting a typewriter for very cheap at UCLA’s Powe

ll Library. This was sometime during the 1940s, and Fahrenheit 451 was published in 1953. The book continues to sell today for a reason.

Fahrenheit 451 is quite a sobering dystopian tale about technology becoming a deity, virtual reality becoming objective reality, books being banned and burned, and the utter extinguishing of free thought and philosophical inquiry. Bradbury’s work of fiction is a critique of fascism and technocracy, and thank goodness, the book does give the reader the virtue of hope, because Bradbury was a very hopeful person!

Bradbury found much of the modern world quite disturbing because of how technology was used for greed, control, and corruption. Technology can certainly be a good thing if used with a balance. For example, modern technology has helped with advancements in information science, medicine, education, counseling, aviation, the arts, and has helped many musicians, poets, writers, and artists connect with each other and share their work through mediums such as Substack, Facebook, and Instagram.

Yet, it is quite unsettling that we can become so reliant on technology, and that there are so many things at our fingertips which can cause an information overload. Bradbury also found much of the modern world scary because he feared less, and less people would take the time to read books, become less literate and become easily brainwashed. To Bradbury, books were essential. Indeed, they are essential. Books can evoke a certain mood, a certain emotion, can make you cry, laugh, and can change your life. This has happened to me numerous times, and it also did to Bradbury many times, which is evident in his prolific career and interviews he gave about his passion for writing and literature. I am very thankful the eccentric writer from Illinois spent his life emphasizing the importance of reading, libraries, bookshops, books, and art, and thankful that there are millions of people around the world today still reading and doing bits of good right where they are

.

Fahrenheit 451 is Bradbury’s most well-known book, but there are other books of his I highly recommend. Zen In The Art of Writing is an incredibly inspiring and profoundly moving book for writers of all genres. The Illustrated Man and We’ll Always Have Paris are fascinating works of fantasy and science-fiction, and The October Country is the perfect read for the Autumn season, which will be here soon. I do like Summer, but I am yearning for Autumn, and I will rejoice when it arrives.

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My Ode to Seamus Heaney poem in this Substack piece was originally published in Celtic Twilight by Impspired in 2022. Writing this simple wee poem was an attempt to convey my admiration and respect for Heaney, his incredible use of language, love for his native country of Ireland, his connection to the land, and why so many of us around the world have come to appreciate the great Irishman’s work. Heaney was a bard!

Back in April when I was coming back to Asheville from Scotland after graduating from The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, I had a day in Dublin to see some old favorite haunts, and it was incredibly exciting experiencing a free tour of the Seamus Heaney: Listen Now Again exhibition. I hope that you enjoy the poem. The next few Substack pieces will be about Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, some of his other books, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Madeleine L’Engle. Thank you for taking the time to read, for the encouragement, and for the support, friends! Slainte!

Ode to Seamus Heaney

Great Irish poet who won the Nobel Prize,

Your humility, brilliant use of language, and

compassion helped me find,

Joy in poetry, music, work, rest, love, and the Celtic

bardic tradition,

Popularized by the great W.B. Yeats in the Celtic

Revival by people that truly listened,

When I visited your grave, I said a prayer in your

honor,

Your immortal work has left me much to live out and

ponder.

-Justin Wiggins

The Book of Kells has inspired many writers, poets, and artists worldwide, as well as being explored in books, documentaries and feature films. Twelfth-century writer Gerald of Wales was so astonished at the book’s beauty that he thought angels may have created it. So, why is The Book of Kells such an iconic work of art?

What Does It Mean that the Book of Kells is an Illuminated Manuscript?
An illuminated manuscript is a book decorated with flourishes and illustrations made from gold, silver, and other precious minerals. In the Christian tradition, this was a meticulous art form used by monks and scribes to create a work of art that would express gratitude to the source of all goodness, beauty, and truth-The Great Bard Christ. This artistic discipline was intricate and took many hours for the artists to complete. Art is not disconnected from reality, but a great gift to humanity that allows us to explore existential questions about pain, doubt, faith, spirituality, love, justice, and what it means to be human.

Celtic monks made the Book of Kells, which is a stunning visual portrayal of the four gospels— Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Its text is based on the Latin Vulgate that St. Jerome completed in 384 A.D. Its pages were made from vellum (calfskin,) and the illumination was made from topaz and other precious minerals. The first recorded illuminated manuscript in history, the Vergilius Romanus, was created in the fourth century. The Book of Durrow and the Lindisfarne Gospels were both predecessors of the Book of Kells. All are examples of the importance of art inspired by Christianity. Many iconic works of art have also been inspired by Islam, Paganism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and other spiritual traditions.

What Does the Book of Kells Contain Alongside the Gospels?
The Book of Kells contains striking images of different beings mentioned in the Bible, such as the cherubim and seraphim. Other images show animals—such as butterflies, mice, cats, dogs, otters, snakes, peacocks, doves, and lions. The monks included animals in the Book of Kells to portray the complexity and beauty of creation.
According to scholar Bernard Mehan, three scribes began working on the manuscript using vellum and copying from the St. Jerome Latin version of the Gospels. The blue used in the Book of Kells was made from indigo or woad, found in northern Europe. The parchments were sown together in a book form called a codex of over 340 folios (or pages). The striking images of angels in the Book of Kells were an attempt by the monks to capture the reality of the divine.

When Was The Book of Kells Composed?
Different scholars debate the exact origin date of the Book of Kells. Some believe Celtic monks began the project at Colum Cille monastery in Ireland, named after its founder, the Celtic Saint Columba, or in Northumbria in England. According to the former librarian archivist of Trinity College in Dublin, Bernard Meehan, and other scholars, the most likely place where monks began composing the book is on the Isle of Iona around 800 A.D. in Scotland. Readers who want to explore this discussion more can check out the works of George Otto Sims and Donncha MacGabhann, and other scholars.

At its creation, the monastery in Iona was attacked by Vikings in 795, 802, and 806 A.D. Some of the surviving monks saved precious manuscripts and brought Kells to Ireland. In 814 A.D., a monastery was established at Kells. In 1007, the Annals of Ulster recorded the first reference to the Book of Kells. In 1211, Kells was sent to the diocese of Meath. In 1654, the Book of Kells was sent to Trinity College in Dublin by Charles Lambard, then governor of Kells, to avoid Oliver Cromwell’s destructive campaign to destroy church artwork in many Irish and English churches. In 1661, the Book of Kells was officially presented to Trinity College, where pilgrims worldwide can currently be seen visiting Dublin.

What Can We Learn from the Book of Kells?

The Book of Kells beautiful and elaborate detail shows how dedicated the monks were to finishing the project when it began on Iona. Humans have an innate yearning to create, and we experience transcendent joy in the creative process connecting us with the divine. The resilience of the monks when creating The Book of Kells also shows perseverance: during Kells’ composition, many Viking raids occurred in the British Isles and other parts of the world. Still, the monks kept working. Though nearly destroyed several times during the Viking raids between 700 and 800 A.D., the book survived.

During the summer of 2022, I stayed at Trinity College in Dublin for a few days. While staying there, I had the privilege of seeing the Book of Kells in “The Long Room.” It was a very powerful experience to see this illuminated manuscript that is over 1200-years-old and consider how much devotion went into creating this masterpiece. Today, thousands of people worldwide come to see this amazing work of art.

The poem “Bonny Scotland” was published in Poetica #29 An Inner Circle Writers’ Group Poetry Anthology. The poem was inspired by my great affection for Scottish culture, history, art, the writings of George MacDonald, the Scots Gaelic language, and recently graduating from The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow with a Postgraduate Diploma in Information and Library Studies. I am thankful to have the opportunity to have had these two pieces published, and honored to be published alongside so many poets and writers that I admire. The link to both books is in the comment below if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Slainte

This short story called “Celtic Harp” is dedicated to my local Appalachian author friend Henry Mitchell, and my Irish poet friend Ger White. I haven’t posted any pieces of writing on Substack for quite sometime, and recently I have been inspired to do so after reading some new pieces of writing by Henry, which has been incredibly inspiring, as well as rereading some poems from Ger White’s amazing book Celtic Visions. It was an honor to endorse it, and I highly recommend it, as well as any of Henry’s books.

Celtic Harp was inspired by a few days that I spent in Dublin in 2022, some personal experiences, hearing live Irish trad music in different parts of Ireland and in Scotland when I live there for a year; seeing The Book of Kells at Trinity College in Dublin, the writings of Irish poet Seamus Heaney, and my great love for Celtic music. This story was published three years ago in a paperback and kindle anthology called Movement: Our Bodies In Action by Sweetycat Press with under the title “Celtic Fiddle.” I have made a few revisions to the story, as well as changed the title. Let me know what you think, friends. The power of Celtic music never ceases to amaze me. Celtic Harp will be included in Celtic Bardic Tradition, being published in 2026 by Dark Myth Publications. This is a wee foretaste of the book which will also have some poetry and nonfiction along with the fiction. Thanks for being such a great supporter of my writings over the years, friends. Slainte!

Celtic Harp

Jack Lewis is my name, and I am thankful to have grown up in the beautiful country of Ireland. I delighted in the Irish countryside, hearing my grandfather tell me humorous, wild, frightening, and moving stories that captivated my imagination, helping my grandfather on the farm, and hearing him play old Irish songs on his fiddle and harp. He made me feel very proud of my Celtic ancestors, who had a great love for art and music.

From a very young age I developed a great passion for the healing power of music, passed down to me from my Celtic ancestors. My mother and father played the harp, the banjo, guitar, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, bouzouki, the fiddle, and traveled all over the world with other folk musicians. I was amazed at how they became one with the music when being taken over by the muse. The way their bodies ebbed and flowed with the emotion and melody of the song, conveyed to my young mind just how powerful music is, and I felt like my ancestors were with me as I danced wildly in response to the music wherever I saw them play.

I remember one humorous occurrence when I was a young lad, listening to my parents play a moving song at a church in honor of a writer friend of theirs who had passed away recently. The whole room was quiet, and the next thing I know, to my utter embarrassment, I farted, everyone in the church erupted with laughter, then my parents laughed, and the wife of the deceased man remarked that James would have approved, and then gave me a kiss on the cheek.

Growing up, my parents exposed me to quite an eclectic variety of music - I listened to Motown, traditional Celtic music, rock, country, rap, r & b, reggae, and classical. I loved hearing all the different kinds of music and sharing that same passion which brought my parents together when they were dating while attending Trinity College in Dublin. Different art mediums have an amazing way of bringing people together.

One cold, wet and rainy January day, I paused from grading examination papers and looked up at my favorite picture of my parents. I missed them dearly, as well as all the community of Dublin. They both died within a few years of each other when I was only fifteen - all those years ago. It seemed like a cruel fate, and although the grief never fully healed as I missed them dearly, I found great solace and comfort in writing and pursuing a career in teaching literature at the college level. I felt in my spirit that my parents were very proud of me.

It was at Trinity College in Dublin where I met Chloe MacGregor. She taught music theory at Trinity and was very well appreciated and respected by many of the faculty and students, and I soon came to understand why. I had never seen anyone play the Celtic fiddle and harp like Chloe MacGregor did. My first time seeing her play was at a small concert at Hodges Figgis Bookshop, and I will always remember that day. How did she play with such jocularity and severity, and convey so many poignant emotions just by the alchemy that happened when her fingers and body movement became overtaken by the notes, melody, and lyrics? Chloe MacGregor knew how to invoke the muse.

I became intrigued by Chloe, and so, I asked her out for a pint of Guinness one afternoon. After toasting our pints of Guinness in the pub, Chloe told me her sobering story of hellish pain, and defiant hope. I listened in awe as she went into detail about the appalling painful things she experienced growing up in America, and how she found great joy, hope, and a freedom she didn’t think was possible when moving back to the island of her birth after working very hard at a music shop in Asheville, North Carolina and finding her vocation as a music teacher.

I shared with Chloe my own story of loss, depression, and defiant hope - though we had different subjective experiences in time and space, we both had been through similar things, which established a great bond of devotion, affection, and love which blossomed beautifully.

One fine St. Patrick’s Day evening, I gladly stepped inside The Brazen Head pub after being invited by Chloe. There she was playing live music with some other Irish musicians - they were one with the muse and the collaboration was grand. All the people in the pub were laughing, dancing, and singing along with great mirth. I saw the way Chloe held the fiddle knowing she was meant to do this before she was born, and the grace with which she played was spell binding. This was my tenth time seeing Chloe play live music, and as she played, I thought of her amazing story of hopelessness, and defiant hope, and she beamed with transcendent joy looking out at the crowd, and at me. I was moved profoundly by the mystical way Chloe played her Celtic fiddle and harp that memorable night at The Brazen Head pub in Dublin.

We were married there a few years later.

In other news, I have been recovering from some of the bereavement I have experienced since I have lived in Scotland and feel a great burden lifted after finishing a major exam that was part of a library science course. Whatever the outcome after the exam board results are out, I have done my best, and that is all one can do. Now I am figuring out in the next two weeks what I am going to do for the next year, working on a new book being published in 2026, enjoying visits to bookshops, pubs, good books, coffee, beer, the company of friends, writing, long walks, and hikes.

These experiences of joy have helped remind me that there is hope even in dark times, and indeed, these are very dark times that we are all living in. One great experience of joy that stands out to me, is getting to sign a copy of my book, Tir na Nog, published by Impspired at Blackwell’s bookshop in Oxford back in June. That was one of the best days of my life. Out of so much grief, suffering, and existential doubt, came that book. Writing Tir na Nog was quite a healing experience, and I have been so thankful for the moving reviews, endorsements from Irish poet friend Ger White, Appalachian writer Henry Mitchell, and the people that have come out to book signings. Blackwell’s has been around since 1874 and many writers I admire would sometimes go there. I used to daydream about having the chance to sign a copy of an honest and hopeful book I have written for people of all worldviews, and it happened. What a great gift of grace!

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How Did Christopher Tolkien Change Tolkien Studies?

Like his father, Christopher Tolkien was a philologist and

fellow of Oxford University. Growing up, he became

fascinated by language (particularly Germanic languages)

and his father’s stories of Middle-earth. This upbringing

inspired Christopher to pursue an academic career, but

something else followed. His passion for language and

firsthand experience with his father’s work enabled him to

understand the ideas underlying his father’s Middle-earth

mythology.

What Was Christopher Tolkien’s Early Life?

Christopher Tolkien was the third son of J. R. R.

Tolkien and Edith Tolkien. He was born in 1924 and showed

a close interest in his father’s stories from a young

age. According to one of his siblings, at four years old,

Christopher’s father read aloud from The Hobbit and

Christopher commented on a discrepancy from an earlier

part of the story his father read.

Christopher grew up Catholic and respected his father’s

faith. He appreciated that although Christian themes could

be found in The Lord of the Rings, the epic fantasy book is a

myth written for people of all worldviews set in a pre-

Christian age. Tolkien stated in a letter that The Lord of the

Rings was a work of fantasy latent with Christian theology.

Though Christopher never publicly stated his worldview, he

expressed great respect for his father’s Christian faith in

interviews and print.

Christopher kept offering helpful critiques of his father’s

work as he grew up. During his World War Two service, he

regularly corresponded with his father about his work.

After returning home in 1945, Christopher became a

member of the Inklings. The group started in the 1930s and

included C. S. Lewis and his brother Warnie, as well as J. R.

R. Tolkien, Charles Williams, Hugo Dyson, Robert

‘Humphrey' Havard, Owen Barfield, and various other

writers and academics who lived near the Oxford area. The

Inklings read many of their works to each other,

including The Lord of the Rings and Lewis’ Space Trilogy.

Christopher made several contributions to the group,

including reading his father’s works aloud for constructive

Criticism.

Christopher received a degree in English in 1949.

In 1954, he saw some of the work he had given so much

feedback on reach audiences: The Fellowship of the Ring was

published. The Two Towers followed four months later,

and The Return of the King was published the following year.

The high fantasy work took a few years to become a

publishing sensation but had a huge impact. It is considered

the breakthrough work that made fantasy literature

mainstream and convinced many critics it could be literary.

Today, Tolkien courses are taught at colleges, numerous

Tolkien societies exist around the world, and J. R. R. Tolkien

is considered the father of modern high fantasy literature.

Christopher taught at Oxford colleges from the 1950s

through the early 1970s, lecturing on Old English, Middle

English, and Old Icelandic. A key change in his career came

when his father died in 1973, and Christopher became a key

part of his father’s literary estate. Christopher retired from

teaching in 1975 and devoted his time to editing and

publishing his father’s works.

One of Christopher’s first goals was publishing The

Silmarillion. The multifaceted work combines ideas from

Celtic, Norse, Greek, Hebrew, Finnish, and Egyptian

mythology to produce a creation account for Tolkien’s

Middle-earth.

J. R. R. Tolkien began working on The Silmarillion during

World War One, and after finishing writing The Lord of the

Rings, he focused on finishing The Silmarillion. Initially,

Tolkien wanted it to be published with The Lord of the

Rings as a single volume. However, post-World War Two

paper shortages, Tolkien’s busy academic life, and his

constant revisions kept this from happening.

With the help of Guy Gabriel Kay, Christopher edited his

father’s drafts of The Silmarillion to create a single volume. It

appeared in 1977.

Under Christopher ’s leadership, the Tolkien estate

released many of his father’s never-before-seen works. The

History of Middle-Earth, 12 volumes explaining the back story

of his father’s mythology, was published between 1983 and

1996. Various children’s books appeared, including The Father

Christmas Letters, Mr. Bliss, and Roverandom. New editions of

his father’s scholarship about classic literature—such as his book on Beowulf, The Monsters and The Critics—were also released.

One of the more unique books that Christopher edited

was Pictures by J. R. R. Tolkien in 1979, highlighting his

father’s gift as a visual artist. While growing up, his mother

gave him his love for languages and illustration, being a

gifted artist herself. An updated version of the book was

released in 2021 by HarperCollins.

What Did Christopher Tolkien Do in His Later Years?

In 2001 Peter Jackson’s first film version of The Lord of the

Rings premiered, followed by The Two Towers in 2002 and The

Return of the King in 2003. Although the public reception of

the film was good, Christopher expressed his

disapproval on the grounds that the films did not do the

book justice. Whether or not his father would have approved

is up for debate. Despite Christopher’s disapproving

opinion, the film trilogy made almost three billion dollars,

won many Oscars, and introduced many people to the books.

The debate about whether the films helped or damaged the

books’ reputation initially created a rift between Christopher

and his son, Simon. However, they reconciled in the early

2010s.

The business side of the estate work changed in 2011 when

it reorganized into The Tolkien Estate Limited.

Christopher continued editing his father’s work until his

final years, his last book appearing in 2018. His final

published works included his father ’s translations

of Beowulf and the Norse legend of Sigurd and Gudrún, as well as the Middle-earth story, The Fall of Gondolin. He stepped

down as director of the Tolkien Estate in 2017, with his sister,

Priscilla, and other family members staying on board. He

passed away at 95 years old in 2020. Tributes include a

moving recognition of Christopher’s work and legacy by

William M. Fliss, released in Mythlore.

Christopher’s sister Priscilla became the literary executor

of the Tolkien Estate from 2020 until her death in 2022.

Christopher is survived by his wife, Baillie Class, along with

many children and grandchildren.

What Else Did Christopher Tolkien Write?

Besides Tolkien studies, Christopher greatly contributed to

linguistic and mythological studies by translating the

Icelandic poem ‘The Saga of King Hendrik the Wise.' A

fascinating essay about the Goths and the Huns was

included in the publication.

‘Of The Ruin of Doriath' in The Silmarillion was written

solely by Christopher because his father never finished it.

Knowing enough about his father’s mythology and having

access to its various drafts gave Christopher enough material

to finish the chapter.

Are There Other Writers in the Tolkien Family?

Christopher’s son Simon is a prolific writer who has

released eight works of fiction so far. His first book, the

thriller Final Witness, was published in 2002. His most recent

book, the World War One historical fiction novel No Man’s

Land, was published in 2016. Simon currently resides in

Southern California.

Christopher’s nephew, Michael George Reuel Tolkien, is

the author of several books of poetry and has contributed

letters to the Tolkien Society’s publication, Mallorn. He

currently resides in the United Kingdom and is one of the

board members of the Tolkien Estate Limited.

Royd Tolkien is Christopher’s great-nephew. Royd played

one of the ranger extras in Peter Jackson’s trilogy. Royd also

wrote a memoir called There’s a Hole In My Bucket: The Journey

of Two Brothers. The memoir is about the loss of his brother,

Mike. While grieving Mike’s loss, Royd discovered a bucket

list that Mike left behind. The book combines humor with

grief as Royd details how he sought to complete each item on

the bucket list.

The best essay in the book is the one titled "Investing Dimes: Fahrenheit 451." Bradbury's description of how he came to write one of his most well known novels in the basement of the UCLA library by renting a type writer because he couldn't afford to go to college was incredibly moving. Zen In the Art of Writing is an essential book for all writers of different genres.

The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R.Tolkien is a brilliant and moving graphic novel that was an absolute joy to read. The illustrations are amazing, and the author, John Hendrix, showed a great understanding of the profound friendship between Lewis and Tolkien, and their philosophy of how myth reflects truth.

Reading this book brought to my mind so many rich memories reading Tolkien and Lewis in Ireland, Scotland, England,and the mountains of North Carolina. It has been an honor to write about my admiration for both authors in some of my books, and I have made some incredible friendships through the influence of their works.

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Recently after working hard on some major assignments due for a master's in library science program I am hoping to finish strong in, I had the exciting experience of visiting three brilliant bookshops in the West of Glasgow that I had never visited- Voltaire & Rousseau Books, Thistle Books, and Caledonia Books. As I walked around, browsed, had chats with the folks working in the bookshops, and purchased some vintage hardback and paperback books by Charlotte Brontë , G.K.Chesterton, William Wordsworth, Alfred Lord Tennyson, James Baldwin, John O’ Donohue, Rowan Williams, Maya Angelou, John Keats, and others, I was reminded of some amazing experiences from the past of when I worked as a bookseller, a librarian assistant, the first time I held copies of my books, Surprised by Agape and Tir na Nog in my hands, and how powerful art and story is. This particular chapter in my life story has been challenging indeed.

In this chapter, there have been quite intense things that have happened after I moved from the mountains of North Carolina to Scotland. I lost a family member, other family members got very sick, a friend passed away, I found myself deeply troubled by the appalling political climate of the United States, I have missed my community in North Carolina, the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, familiar sights and sounds, and began to go through a reconstruction of my faith- something writers Madeleine L’Engle, Frederick Buechner, Rachel Held Evans, Sarah Bessey, and others have written poignantly about.

Some days I have had those existential moments where I questioned everything, and didn’t know if I had the strength to make it through the course. I am glad that I didn’t drop out! Through the struggles, pain, doubt, and questions, I have grown as a person, I have done well academically and found the courage to heal. I have also had good and necessary conversations with friends that I trust, good grief counseling, daily rituals to keep me grounded, and experienced transcendent joy spending time in the Highlands, in reading writers and poets I am fond of, working on different creative projects, going for long walks

and celebrating recent publications.

The writing life requires surrender, devotion, and dedication, despite struggles, setbacks, doubts, and existential questions, and as difficult as the grief has been in this chapter, I am thankful to still be part of a story of redemption and hope, to be healing and thriving in the present, not knowing where the adventure will take me next. It brings me to comfort to know that my favorite writer, J.R.R. Tolkien, experienced similar struggles in his own life, yet hope kept him going, and he was a good husband to his wife Edith, a good father to his sons and daughter, and gave the world some timeless works such as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion that has inspired many people around the world. That is incredibly encouraging. I think it is time to reread The Lord of the Rings again.

What has helped lately to keep me grounded and keep going, even though I have felt very burnt out, exhausted, and have questioned everything some days, is reading Seamus Heaney’s poetry, as well as J.R.R Tolkien’s fiction and non-fiction. Literature, poetry, music, film, and different artistic mediums have a very powerful healing aspect to them all. People have that poem, book, or song that speaks to them, makes them come alive, brings them joy, and reminds them of hope. For some, it is the music of Bob Marley, Kendrick Lamar, Johnny Cash, Billie Eilish, or Florence and the Machine; the writings of Mary Oliver, Maya Angelou, Madeleine L’Engle, Annie Dillard, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Rumi, C. S. Lewis, Ray Bradbury, George MacDonald, Matt Haig, and others.

Although I am a strong, resilient, jovial, and hopeful individual, I often get lost in my mind, and struggle with intense existential doubt. We human beings are complex, filled with interesting idiosyncrasies, contradictions, paradoxes, and have our own unique story. The power of story is something I am fascinated by, and it is of great solace and encouragement to me that writers such as Seamus Heaney and J.R.R. Tolkien struggled with similar issues as I have and yet found hope.

Understanding my subjective experience of reality in the context of story fills me with great wonder, hope, and joy, despite the existential struggles. I will keep attempting to be kind, genuine, compassionate, thrive, work hard, love, laugh, make the most of the present, and write, of course. Having a poem called “Scottish Highlands” published this year by Clarendon House in Poetica #21 An Inner Circle Writers’ Group Poetry Anthology, reminded me that although there is the universal human existential struggle of doubt, pain, and questions, there are so many good things in this life to rejoice about. I am thankful to be part of a larger transcendent story that is greater than my own, and to have an amazing community. I was reminded of that as I read through Poetica #21.

I was recently working on an essay for a class about librarianship and archiving, and some things about the enigma of time, and The Book of Kells came to my mind that inspired this short

Substack piece. I have a vivid memory of seeing The Book of Kells at Trinity College in Dublin in 2022 on a beautiful August day. I worked very hard, saved up, and was able to get time off from work thanks to an incredibly kind boss. The Irish people were very hospitable to this Appalachia hobbit-like person, I found cheap lodging at Trinity College, and what an amazing experience it was getting to see The Book of Kells in Ireland! The 1300-year-old medieval manuscript is an important cultural work of art, and it is a wonder that it survived all the Viking raids that were happening at the time after its composition.

When I thought of that memory of seeing The Book of Kells, the enigma and gift of time came to my mind. Time is something we don’t understand. Scholars, philosophers, poets, mystics, theologians, and musicians have only scratched the surface of understanding it. It simply can’t be rationalized or explained away by logical empiricism. Time can sometimes seem like a curse, especially if one has lost a lover, a family member, has gone through some intense existential worldview challenges, and is experiencing grief, or has watched someone battle dementia. I have experienced all of these things, and during those times, indeed, time did feel like a curse. Yet, despite all appearances to the contrary, I have also found time to be a great gift of unmerited grace.

Life does have its existential struggle of pain and suffering, but there is also beauty, joy, justice, work, rest, love, community, friendship, music, literature, art, poetry, bookshops, coffee shops, laughter, libraries, pubs, parties, gardening, adventure, and growth-all of these things are experienced in time. The poetry of Mary Oliver, Jon Foreman’s In Bloom album, Humphrey Carpenter’s biography on J.R.R. Tolkien, J.R.R.Tolkien’s writings, and trying my hand recently at a comic fantasy story about the human enigma of time, which was published in Galaxy # 20 An Inner Circle Writer’ Science Fiction and Fantasy anthology, has helped me to value my time more. Some days are a struggle, some days are very good, and often I question everything, but with all of that said, I am thankful for the time I have now, what may come in the future, and the amazing people in my life. Cheers to the present!

Share Author of Surprised by Agape & Tír Na NÓg

I recently signed a few copies of my favorite book that I have written at a Waterstones in Glasgow Scotland, where I now live currently. The experience was quite surreal, because years ago I was in such a dark place filled with depression, identity and worldview confusion, and did not think I was going to make, and that my vocation as a writer was laughable and wishful thinking- it was a wretched dark night of the soul caused by some deep wounds. I am glad that I did make it through that hellish time, found a resurrected faith, a renewed passion for life, work, art, love, writing, community, and books.  

The book I signed for my friends at Waterstones is called Tir na Nog, published by Impspired. It is inspired by the ancient Irish myth, personal experiences of faith and doubt, pain and joy, the transcendence and universality of art, the healing power of music, literature, and art, and particular writers and poets I am fond of that have had a profound impact on my life. One of those writers is J. R. R. Tolkien. Those that know me well, understand how much I admire the great writer, philologist, and mythmaker. Tolkien is an incredibly inspiring artist. If you want a brilliant and moving biography on Tolkien, I highly recommend Humphrey Carpenter’s.  

In these strange days with all the chaos going on in the world, I have been reminded of the importance of the virtue of hope, that it is not a delusion, and that it is important to live out that hope out in the present; I have also been reminded of the incredible gift of community, and the incredible gift of art. For these things I am thankful, because they help keep me grounded and give me balance in life. I thought about all of this recently on a day trip to the Highlands in Scotland. As much as I love the city of Glasgow, it was good to get away from the hustle and bustle and to experience the wild, rugged beauty of the Highlands, breathe in the sweet air, and reflect on how through so much pain and suffering in my life, I have experienced great joy, beauty, growth, and community. It is good to be alive, and I am greatly enjoying the new chapter I am experiencing on my journey! Thanks for reading.