Yesterday, I shared six of my favourite, most poignant quotes from The Lord of the Rings.
One thing absent, however, was my reasons as to why they mean so much to me. As I stated, each quote will mean something different to different people, so I didn’t want to pollute their potency…
UNTIL TODAY, THAT IS.
Muhahahahaha 😈
Perhaps you’ll resonate with some of them, or perhaps you’ll point a finger and laugh (both of which are permitted here in the Legion until I fully lean into my totalitarian ways).
Shall we?
1. “Not all those who wander are lost.”
— Bilbo Baggins
I am what some will call an ambivert.
An introvert dressed in an extrovert’s attire; someone who looks like they revel on stage and in social gatherings, but in reality, I live for solitude. I relish those quiet moments in the dead of night and thirst for endless walks.
It’s my way of refilling the well, so to speak.
My way of dialling down the volume of life.
And I can tell you right here, right now, that in those moments, I do not want to be found. I want to be left alone to meander. Just me and my thoughts.
2. “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
— Gandalf
I love this quote for many reasons, but the main one is its raw simplicity. It seems that the older we get, and the more responsibilities we find land on our shoulders, the less control we have over our lives.
This quote reminds me that no matter how chaotic our lives become, we still carry great influence over this brief existence of ours.
All we have to do is decide.
3. “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you.”
— Samwise Gamgee
Ah, good ol’ Samwise with a nugget of enduring wisdom.
Hands up if you’ve ever tried to help a loved one ditch a bad habit/toxic relationship, or strive to do something good with their lives…
🙋♂️
Now, hands up if they always listen…
🙍♂️
Well, you’re in good company, Legionnaire.
This quote is a sage reminder to step back and let their lives play out for them. Let them stumble, let them fall, but most importantly, let them rise on their own. Yet never, ever stop being there for them when they reach a hand out.
Only then will your help have an impact.
Only then will they take it.
That wraps up Part 1 of what these LOTR quotes mean to me.
I’d be curious to hear what they mean to you, so do write in if any of them resonate with you.
Who knows, the best replies might just feature in a future email.
For now, though, that concludes the first of two emails that are paying homage to the legendary and timeless series that is The Lord of the Rings. Tomorrow, I’ll cap off this mini-series with nuggets by Aragorn, Saruman, and the Royal elf herself, Galadriel.
Until then, if you’ll indulge a little self-aggrandising, I’d say The Divided Region has many notable quotes itself.
To read or listen to them for yourself, head on over here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/TDR-Bundle
DJJW