WendiWanders

Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. Tolkien
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So much wisdom and insight packed into this sweet, short story.
Niggle is a painter, mostly of leaves, but other things, too. Only life is so full of interruptions he can't get down to work at his real task of painting. Before he can complete his life's work, he is called away on the long journey he has always known is coming, but he is unprepared. However unprepared, the carriage has been called for and he must go on his journey, leaving his work unfinished.

But what are the interruptions and what constitutes the real work and purpose of our lives?
Allegory, spiritual parable, masterfully, of course, done by Tolkien. I particularly loved the gentle little poke at people who consider themselves softhearted, by which they really mean other people's troubles make them feel uncomfortable, but not uncomfortable enough to do something about those troubles.

I listened via Audible, it's about forty minutes long which is about five minutes shorter than my drive to church so that's convenient.

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