2/8/15
I was thinking today (as I played “Lego: Lord of the Rings”
and began reading The Two Towers again) about the “This I Believe” essay
a classmate shared, entitled “Frodo Lives”. I was so moved by reading that
essay, because there, on my computer screen, was a person who got it. I have
often felt weird and alone in my love for Tolkien’s trilogy, because none of my
friends truly love it as much as I do. I’m not even sure my parents love it as
much as I do, and that’s saying a lot, because they are HUGE Tolkien fans.
Other “fandoms” reside here, but for me, Lord of the Rings and The
Hobbit are the be all, end all.
For me, the Lord of the Rings trilogy is a way to escape. I
can read those novels, and I can be an elf, or a ranger, or a hobbit. I can be
a larger-than-life character. I can be right there beside the characters I have
loved since I was a child. I cry every time Boromir dies (spoiler alert), I
weep with Frodo near the end. I feel my heart racing and the strength and
bravery of Eowyn as she faces an unmitigated evil, in a world where men are the
warriors. She stands there, alone (except for a small hobbit nearby), and
challenges the second most villainous creature in Middle Earth, all in defense
of a family member. WOW.
It is a series that moved me more deeply than any
other has been able to, and I’ve read a lot. Many of them are great, but none
of them leave me daydreaming for days on end.
I love the movies. No, they do not stick to the books at
all, and the director destroyed the
essence of many of the characters, but to see a work that I hold near and dear
to my heart up on the big screen is amazing. No, the actors aren’t always what
I pictured, but some of them are spot on, and the places…oh the places.
Whenever the music for Rivendell comes on, and I see that Hidden Valley, I cry.
Not ashamed to admit it. I get teary eyed, and think that’s what Heaven must be
like. Side note, maybe Heaven is different for each person. Maybe Heaven looks
like whatever makes you happiest. If that’s true, then when I get to see my
brother again, Middle Earth will be overrun with Spartans from the “Halo”
series!
I know it’s common for people to assume that when someone
loves fantasy that much, they must have issues. Well, I really don’t. I have a
firm grasp on reality, but it’s nice to travel to Middle Earth every once in a
while. I never get tired of reading the books. I haven’t been able to watch the
movies since my brother died (we were all watching “The Fellowship of the Ring”
together the night before he passed away), but I watched them so much in the
six years before that happened that I have parts of it committed to memory. And
there’s always “The Hobbit” trilogy! I am very excited for the DVD release of
the third film, and you’d better believe that this Tolkien nerd will be having
an all-day marathon. I might even dig out my elf ears from the release of the
second movie, and wear them while I watch.
Namarie, mellon nin. ~K~
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