JRR Tolkien penned:

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.“

Deep roots indeed!

Published in the 1950’s “Fellowship of the Ring“, many years after Tolkien’s earlier book (1937, “The Hobbit“), this little bit of poetry seems timeless. Phrases such as “all that glitters is not gold”, and references to “deep-rooted” things were part of daily use in the 1100-1400’s … Aesop said “Non omne quod nitet aurum est“, Chaucer: “Hyt is not al golde that glareth“, Shakespeare: “All that glisters is not gold, Often have you heard that told.“, Job: “though the root thereof wax old in the earth … at the scent of water it will bud.”

The tree above is a grand specimen: tall, vibrant and healthy even though the roots have been exposed and assaulted. Deep roots …

… and a glittering view!

The very first Psalm, written 950BC “ish”, says that a blessed person “… shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in its season and whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.” That would be a tree with deep roots indeed!

Summer has passed too quickly. This travelling tortuga has been blessed to work and rest amongst these deep rooted trees for many golden days. Glorious.

Below, the moon peeks thru the trees …

… and the sun continues its circuit.

Tolkien’s last stanza reads:

“From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring,
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

May your roots go deep!