Excellent thoughts! I love that idea of essentially ending with Sam's speech: hard to think of a more perfect note to end on, especially like you say in 2024.
Sam's speech, but also the razing of Isengard by the Ents, and the arrival of Gandalf at Helm's Deep--powerful victories, but only provisional ones, because "Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift." And Frodo and Sam, blundering into a trap.
But, just enough hope in these last few moments to allow our heroes to press on.
This is beautiful, thank you MaryAnn. I often wonder why, at least once a year, I revisit the trilogy, binge watching from beginning to end and you just reminded me why. Because there is something good in this world worth fighting for. Yes, we are fighting in the middle and it's funny as I feel like I'm at the end of that middle, Kirkegaard's observation that we can only observe the past but live going forward is the overarching theme of my life now. This is wonderful and so glad you shared it. Thank you again, friend.
Thank you right back! I was talking to some retired folks in our church about Richard Rohr's "second half of life" stuff and one of our nonagenarians asked, when does the second half start? Haha and hmmm...
I think Richard Rohr’s second half of life ideas were the ones that helped me listen to him more closely. My spiritual director and I discuss this often. We look at it as the difference between being productive or fruitful. As a retiree I’m more interested in bearing fruit—am I passing on knowledge that will lead to wisdom.
Excellent thoughts! I love that idea of essentially ending with Sam's speech: hard to think of a more perfect note to end on, especially like you say in 2024.
Sam's speech, but also the razing of Isengard by the Ents, and the arrival of Gandalf at Helm's Deep--powerful victories, but only provisional ones, because "Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift." And Frodo and Sam, blundering into a trap.
But, just enough hope in these last few moments to allow our heroes to press on.
This is beautiful, thank you MaryAnn. I often wonder why, at least once a year, I revisit the trilogy, binge watching from beginning to end and you just reminded me why. Because there is something good in this world worth fighting for. Yes, we are fighting in the middle and it's funny as I feel like I'm at the end of that middle, Kirkegaard's observation that we can only observe the past but live going forward is the overarching theme of my life now. This is wonderful and so glad you shared it. Thank you again, friend.
Thank you right back! I was talking to some retired folks in our church about Richard Rohr's "second half of life" stuff and one of our nonagenarians asked, when does the second half start? Haha and hmmm...
I think Richard Rohr’s second half of life ideas were the ones that helped me listen to him more closely. My spiritual director and I discuss this often. We look at it as the difference between being productive or fruitful. As a retiree I’m more interested in bearing fruit—am I passing on knowledge that will lead to wisdom.
I needed to hear Sam’s words today. Thank you, MaryAnn 💖
So glad they came at the right time!