I have figured out why I have such a hard time getting rid of things. I am part Hobbit. Yes, that’s right, somewhere along the line I have come from a family of Hobbits. Sure, I might be a bit tall for a Hobbit and my feet aren’t very hairy, but I definitely have a habit of a Hobbit. I have a mini mathom museum in my house.
What is mathom you may ask? It is a term that J.R.R. Tolkien used in the book Lord of the Rings. I can’t explain it better than Tolkien, so here is his definition:
“Anything that Hobbits had no immediate use for, but were unwilling to throw away, they called a mathom. Their dwellings were apt to become rather crowded with mathoms, and many of the presents that passed from hand to hand were of that sort”.
A few weeks ago I needed something to read, so I browsed through Daniel’s bookshelf. I found The Hobbit and decided to give it a try. Much to my surprise (and Daniel’s) I enjoyed the book. I loved Tolkien’s story telling and his little characters.
I borrowed the trilogy of the Lord of the Rings from Daniel’s brother and I have been reading them. The first book is where the word mathom is introduced. I sat there and laughed about the term. It was like I was reading about my family (and many other families, I am sure). I thought about the mathom museum in my parent’s basement and my own personal collection.
I love having a name for my collections of ‘stuff’. Now I am just working on organizing my mathom.
Hey, I have a mathom too!!! Glad to know there is an actual name for my hords of...stuff. I swear, I am the worst at getting rid of things, Well, some things anyway. Like my clothes. It's hard for me to part with a shirt I never wear because the thought always crosses my mind, "what if I get a skirt or pair of pants that would look great with this shirt? Then I'll be mad I got rid of it." That is why my husband hates hanging my clothes. "I'm out of hangers, you have two new shirts, you never wear your old ones, your clothes are taking up half of Jakob's closet, etc." I really need to organize and get rid of much of my mathom. If you ever want to have a mathom party, let me know! Don't you think it would be easier to put all your "stuff" in a pile and have someone else haul it our and take it to DI or whatever? Then, at least, you're not the one doing the hardest part and there's no opportunity for sneaking stuff out of your pile as it's being hauled off!;)
ReplyDeleteI love it! I have way too much mathom, so I must have Hobbit blood in me too. I love, love, loved The Lord of the Rings books. I read them when I was pregnant with Jacob when the movies were starting to come out. I tried reading The Hobbit when I was about 10, and couldn't get through it. I'll have to try again. Thanks for giving us a word for our collections. Now when our hubbies complain, we can say "But it's my mathom!" You are awesome Sheron!
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