The singular philologist, linguist, and writer J.R.R. Tolkien, a lover of words, in his marvelous work “The Lord of the Rings,” full of beauty and hope, despite the suffering he endured, wrote:

“ That is what those who live in these times desire. But it is not up to us to choose what time  to live in, we can only choose what to  do with the time that has been given to us .”   

What is within our power is deciding  what to  do with life:  with time, with opportunities, with the talents and gifts we have received… Discovering  our own mission  and pursuing it. Being capable of  memorable actions,  worthy of being captured in songs and traditions that endure from generation to generation. Valuable actions, deserving of being remembered; that is, held close to the heart.

Life is a constant beginning and restarting, with enthusiasm and optimism, with the hope of the  happy ending  of “Fairy Tales”… which, as GK Chesterton pointed out, “surpass reality: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that  they can be defeated.” 

In one of his letters, published by Minotauro, Professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien says that his work is  a fairy tale  for adults: “…I believe that the fairy tale has its own way of reflecting the ‘truth,’ different from allegory, satire, or ‘realism,’ and is, in some sense, more powerful. But above all, it must succeed as a story  in exciting, pleasing, and even sometimes moving.”  And indeed it has succeeded, and then some…

Because  history is guarded  by Goodness, by Beauty.  From its wondrous beginning, it is a display of beauty…  But then we must strive to follow that path, to “create”  beauty. Perhaps it is difficult, but it is enjoyable and always worthwhile. Aim for what is good and beautiful,  for that “North Star” I speak of in other articles, which guides and illuminates us, do what is right within our power… thinking of leaving  a good legacy  for loved ones, and for future generations. Make a humane, habitable world.   

In this way, we can  sow peace and optimism  around us, and leave a luminous path, in our own specific, personal way, with the “art” of our lives and our works, as he did with his life and his “legendarium,” full of joy and arcane beauty that fills the soul. Also, there will be hard, terrible moments of suffering, as happens in the real world, but always keeping in mind that hope in the “eucatastrophe” that turns history upside down, if each of us does what is within our power…

I leave you with this quote from the Professor, spoken by Gandalf in “The Return of the King,” as encouraging and hopeful as all his work ,  for reflection:

“It is not for us to control all the tides of the world, but  to do what is in  our power  for the good of the days we have been given to live, eradicating evil in the fields we know, and leaving those who will come after us a clean land for cultivation.”

In this sense, there is a fantastic dialogue between Sam and Frodo in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, about  the Great Tales.  Those  preserved in songs,  which treasure the arcane, noble, and precious wisdom  of those who came before.

As the end draws near, and hope seems to fade, they question each other’s mission. They walk along thinking about the “adventure” of destroying the Ring, which poisons hearts and enslaves… and which Sauron desperately needs. Sam understands Frodo’s role and tells him to encourage him, but his own role, in his humility, wouldn’t even dare to consider: it will be Frodo who makes him see it.   

Frodo is beginning to realize that  everyone is capable of more than they imagine . They have Bilbo, who ventured out with Gandalf and the dwarves—he went out on a whim—and “found” the Ring. He was capable of great challenges for a hobbit.

Even the intrepid  Beren , who, for love, rescued the Silmaril from the Iron Crown of the Dark Lord himself to marry King Thingol’s daughter: Lúthien, “daughter of twilight,” Thinuviel, nightingale. An Elf, immortal.

And then the Silmaril passed to a half-elf of the Noldor line:  Eärendil,  who journeyed to seek forgiveness from the Valar for the despicable deeds of the past of elves and men. This was due to those three luminous jewels that Fëanor created with the primordial light of the Two Trees of Valinor, which he appropriated, and with an oath, he bound all his descendants, bringing them chaos and death.

Thus,  Eä rendil obtains forgiveness and aid  for both races. And he will sail the skies in his ship Vingilot, “the Foam Flower,” with the last Silmaril shining upon his brow.

And that light lives on in  the gift that Lady Galadriel gives  to Frodo, the Ring-bearer, in a small flask: the crystal vial, which will illuminate them in dark and dreadful places… when “all other lights have gone out.” I tell you about it in “Galadriel’s Mirror.”

There are no coincidences; everything is closely related: the primordial Light, the Trees of Valinor, destroyed by the Dark Lord, but the Moon and the Sun remain, the Stars, placed there by Varda to illuminate the Children of Ilúvatar, the Elves, and then Men, the three Silmarillion, the small flask with the Light of Eärendil… Things happen for a reason; within them lie the stories they hold.

Now it’s the hobbits’ turn to play  their part in history , their “adventure,” and their crucial mission. It is up to them to save Middle-earth, its arcane wisdom, and the freedom of every creature, along with that treasured history. Although they feel small, insignificant, and incapable of such feats… they are humble and helpful. They put all their effort into doing what they can… for this noble cause. And they will receive the help they need. Sometimes through friendship and loyalty, other times through compassion…

I leave part of the quote from The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, The Stairs of Cirith Ungol, in Ed. Minotauro.

“Had we known more before we set out, we certainly wouldn’t be here now. Although I imagine that’s often the case. The exploits of the old  legends and songs , Mr. Frodo: the adventures, as I called them. I thought the wonderful characters in the legends went off in search of adventures because they wanted them, and they found them exciting, whereas life itself was rather dull: a kind of game, so to speak.”

But  with the stories that truly mattered, or those that one keeps in memory, the same was n’t true.  It would seem that the protagonists  suddenly found themselves in the middle of an adventure, and that they almost always already had their paths laid out, as you say. 

I suppose they, too, like us, often had the chance to  turn back , only they didn’t take it. Perhaps, then, even if they had, we wouldn’t know, because  no one would remember  them. Because  we only talk about those who carried on to the end…  and they don’t always end well, you see; at least not in the way that people in history, not outsiders, call ending well. You know what I mean,  going home , and finding everything in order, though  not exactly the same as before … like old Mr. Bilbo.

But  those aren’t  the stories one prefers to hear, even if they’re the ones one prefers to live!  I’d like to know what kind of story we’ve fallen into.

And Mr. Frodo replies… (you can continue reading in the book).

“But  the protagonists arrive at their ends and leave when they have fulfilled their part.  Ours too will end, sooner or later,” Frodo concludes.

There is another moment of immense transformation, in which Sam, after emerging from Shelob’s terrifying tunnel, with Frodo imprisoned in the Tower of Cirith Ungol, his heart heavy and the sky overcast, suddenly sees a tear in the clouds and glimpse  a twinkling star.  And with  that beauty, which stirs his soul,  he is filled with hope once more.  And he thinks: They shall not prevail, here I am!

And he exclaims:

“Here I lie, at the end of my journey,

sunk in deep darkness:

beyond all the tall and mighty towers,

beyond all the rugged mountains,

Above all the shadows  rides the sun

and  eternally dwell the Stars .

In Tolkien, light and the stars are closely linked to hope. Estel… And he recalls the light of Eärendil, the most precious star… which lives on in the “starglass,” a precious gift from the Lady to Frodo to illuminate and guide him on his journey to Mordor.

Therefore, each of us must focus on what is important,  on our “adventure,” on what we have to do:  our mission . We only have the time necessary for this task: don’t waste it. Think about  “what to  do with the time that has been given to us .” And  what we don’t do, no one else will .  What a great role  personal freedom  and responsibility play in one’s own mission to leave a good legacy… Make the most of your time before embarking for the “White Shore.”

Always fight.  There is more in us than meets the eye… as Gandalf might say, surprised, and it happened to Beren, to Bilbo, to Frodo… Sometimes,  the sacrifice of a few  is for the salvation of many. And always with  hope:  a light that darkness cannot pierce. Never.

I encourage you to  read the book  slowly, for the great beauty that the words unfold, with their sonority, which gives wings to the imagination and allows the mind and heart to rejoice, while simultaneously comforting and gladdening them. Tolkien defined his work in one of his Letters as  “an essay in linguistic aesthetics ” … That is to say, the beauty of legendary mythical tales, which arise from words and their potential for meaning, written to be read and enjoyed aloud, also interspersed with poems and songs. A true Art with a capital A, which “creates,” or “sub-creates,” wonders.