Here are some random thoughts about Tom Bombadil, a delightful character from The Lord of the Rings. There's a big part of me that wants to be him, but the more mature, recluctant part says otherwise. Plenty of people ask what Tom's purpose in the story could be. He feels like a detour. A side quest. A random, meaningless, and (for some) annoying interlude. Well, I have at least two incomplete, non-authoritative answers for that, and they both might give us some light in dark