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Not all those who wander are lost.
This snippet of lyrical verse is the second line in a poem included in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Fellowship of the Ring.” The line has been adopted by adventurous travelers the world over who have perhaps never read the poem in its entirety: “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.” Taken as a whole, the poem suggests that there is great value in nurturing “deep roots,” that those who understand their origins will be more likely to persevere through adversity. This is certainly a theme that echoes throughout Tolkien’s stories, as his characters suffer their trials and burdens. It suggests that the interesting question is not whether we wander, but how.
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