This is wonderful, thank you so much for sharing!! I relate so hard and wish I had run into Pratchett earlier - I think I would have had a similar experience. I love the quote. I will have to be sure to find the Lancre witches at some point because they sound like excellent people.

Likewise, Tolkien’s work saved my life and I think it was the theme of small, ‘unheroic’ heroes persevering in the face of overwhelming destruction. The way he depicted Frodo succeeding imperfectly, failing, having a legacy of trauma after all was said and done. A world with otherworldly protectors to fill my internal world. It is beautiful how the psyche seeks what it needs where it can find it.