The Hobbit as personal therapy

[Pimpernel]

When I saw the thread titled 'Tolkien as therapy', my immediate thought was of myself sitting in my couch reading The Hobbit as a way of calming my nerves and getting through fights. Obviously, the thread concerned a much more charitable subject, but it still brought to mind the comfort I get from reading Tolkien.

[Valandil]

Yes, I know what you mean. Let me tell you more about why I started that thread though:

Several years ago (7-8... maybe?) I knew someone with a 7-year-old son who was found to have leukemia. I never met the son myself, but I was quite moved (in my early 20's I had lost my very best friend to leukemia). I found out he was already a pretty advanced reader, so I called his home and asked his mother if it was OK if I sent a book... a sci-fi/fantasy book. She seemed a little uncertain, but when I told her "The Hobbit", she seemed excited about it (I wasn't sure if she'd have heard of it).

So, I picked up a nice hardbound edition and sent it to him, with a note on the cover page to the effect that I knew he was going through some hard times - and that here was a story about someone else who had gone through some hard times.

I believe I heard back later that he read it and enjoyed it very much.

The REALLY happy ending: I'm no longer in direct contact with the family (they moved to like Idaho or somewhere), but I've heard second-hand that he is now considered "cured"

[Pimpernel]

That's a beautiful story...and I do believe...though I was thinking of this before this thread, and after your first thread, that I will try to start a program like yours here in my town. I hope you don't mind my smurfing your idea..

[Valandil]

Not at all! I don't have anything going yet - I was merely hoping we COULD get something going. Maybe you can be instrumental in the whole thing actually getting started. I'm a bit too bogged down myself with three small kids and all...

[Turgon_Turambar]

What you guys are doing here is great. i just want to say that i feel privaliged to be in the company of such people.

thank you.

[Valandil]

Thanks! Hah... but we're not DOing anything yet... just talking about it.

[samwiselvr2008]

I don't get it, what are you planning to do?

[Valandil]

Hah... I can see how that's confusing! Pimpernel started this thread after reading a thread I started, which drew little response (it's a bit further down the page). Here was my opening:

- - - - - - -

An idea to run by all my fellow mooters:

Not lots of time to spare in my own life, but I've thought it might be nice to find a way to arrange regular (weekly? maybe that's not enough?) visits to a pediatrics ward of a local hospital in order to read "The Hobbit" to the kids - one or two chapters at a time. Especially if there's an oncology section of pediatrics... or again, a regular oncology ward (any / all ages) - maybe even a nursing home...???

Then I thought: Is there a way to get hundreds, even thousands of volunteers to do likewise? Maybe even a coordinated effort - gearing up to begin on a particular date?

Thoughts in response?

[samwiselvr2008]

that sounds really good to me, how would we be able to get it started, and do you think that they would listen to me even though i'm only a teen? I geuss that I would just call my local hospital, but who would I talk to? Would it be a group of kids, or just one? In how many hospitals do you think this could get started in, and would it be in more then just the US (I don't know where you all live)?

[Valandil]

I don't really know! I was mostly posing the question. I'd guess there's two ways to go about it though: One is to get it all organized and laid out - and then start it. The other is for someone to just start it... and see if others will pick up on it - and then start to organize it more once it's in motion.

My sense now is that the latter may be more workable in this situation... anybody wanna call a local hospital, give it a try and report back to us??

[samwiselvr2008]

Originally posted by Valandil
I don't really know! I was mostly posing the question. I'd guess there's two ways to go about it though: One is to get it all organized and laid out - and then start it. The other is for someone to just start it... and see if others will pick up on it - and then start to organize it more once it's in motion.

My sense now is that the latter may be more workable in this situation... anybody wanna call a local hospital, give it a try and report back to us??

I'll call my local hospital, maybe not now though, because I have a bad throte, and it won't sound good if someone that can't talk good wants to start a program reading to kids.

Also, who would I ask to speak to? Is there any sertain person who organises that type of stuff? If so, then tell me what there job title is, so that I can ask for them. If anyone wants to go first, so that I know what to say, then be my guest!