An Inconvenience Rightly Considered by Eliza

An Inconvenience Rightly Considered by Eliza - April 2014 Scholarship Essay

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit…” We all know how the rest of it goes. We know the story of Bilbo Baggins, how he became the unwilling host to an unexpected party; the unwilling burglar of unwanted company; the unexpected hero of an uncomfortable journey. He is such an uncharacteristic hero, so small, so reluctant. Why then, of the hundreds of great idols and tragic figures towering over the endless pages of literature, does little Bilbo take up such a big space in my heart?

I am reminded of a quote by author G. K. Chesterton:

“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.”

Bilbo, in his humorous way, exemplifies this philosophy perfectly. Every step of the journey to the Misty Mountains he despairingly cries: “Why, O why did I ever leave my hobbit-hole!” As a true homebody, I am familiar with the chaotic feelings and anxiety which accompany new experiences. In the face of such insecurities, curling up in a snug and comfy hobbit-hole seems to be the infinitely better option.

But Bilbo is a reminder of the shortcomings of too much comfort, and the benefit of being sometimes uncomfortable. He does not set off on an adventure to obtain comfort; on the contrary, his life is already plenty comfortable. But when he finds himself swept up in a life-altering inconvenience, he learns to rise to the occasion and adopt an adventurous attitude. Without an adventurous attitude, the ability to embrace discomfort, it is easy to become oblivious to the zest of life.

Bilbo has been a reminder to me to let go of my fears and step outside of my comfort-zone. Throughout life we face many things worth doing that will be inconvenient to do. Life itself is an inconvenience – or an adventure; it all depends how you choose to look at it. We all know it is worth reaching the top of the mountain; why not enjoy the climb?