I never shall forget the time that I saw Gandalf’s and Frodo’s ride into the shire:

As I watched the above scene unfold, I knew that finally, several people got it!

First and Foremost, Tolkien had captured magic in his writing, and second, Peter Jackson had turned Tolkien’s magic into cinema, and third, Howard Shore spun Tolkien’s magic into song.

But again, first, there was J. R. R. Tolkien.

Today, on January 3, I want to celebrate Tolkien’s birthday.

J. R. R. Tolkien was born on January 3, 1892.