So, I stumbled upon Mary’s latest article on From The Pen Cup the other day, and it got me thinking. She was talking about the beauty of taking things slow when diving into a good read. It struck a chord with me because, well, I’m on my own slow journey through J. R. R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve devoured The Lord of the Rings series. Last year I started making my way through one more time. But that’s not all. I’ve also discovered the awesome Prancing Pony Podcast, where they dissect The Lord of the Rings in meticulous detail. I’ve been listening to their episodes and reading along, gaining even more insights into Middle Earth.
But here’s the twist - I’ve never delved into The Silmarillion. Well, this Christmas, my daughter gifted me a copy and the Prancing Pony has episodes covering this book as well. The Silmarillion is known to be a challenging read, so adding journaling seems beneficial.
So, here’s the plan: As I finish my way through The Lord of the Rings, I am going to start journaling my thoughts, reflections, and questions as I go.
Here’s how my process goes: first, I read a section on my own, jotting down the juicy bits and any puzzling moments. Then, I tune in to the podcast, filling in the gaps and expanding my understanding. And finally, I give that section another read armed with newfound knowledge. It’s a bit of a slow burn, taking me more than a day to digest each chunk, but hey, good things take time, right?
Oh, and here’s a fun little trick I’ve picked up along the way: switching up my pens and inks for each step in a section.
So yeah, I’m just getting started on this journaling journey, and I can’t wait to see how it evolves. Who knows? Maybe by the time I’m knee-deep in The Silmarillion, I’ll have perfected my technique. But for now, I’m enjoying the ride, one page at a time.