I’ve been re-awakening my love for Lord of the Rings lately, but I guess this time around, I had the maturity to grasp more fully some of the lessons we can learn from the story.
My favorite scene out of the entire series is probably the scene in the Two Towers where the beloved “Samwise the Brave” gives his speech.
“It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something…there is some good left in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.”
Samwise is truly…wise. Out of all the characters in the entire series, he is the only one that, when evil rages before his eyes, he stands firm and doesn’t lose hope. He never left Frodo’s side (even when Frodo banished him, he returned). He was there, thick and thin, and was looking out for him. Even when things were grim, he thought positively. He allowed his courage to rule over his fear.
Sam gives a literary testimony to John Paul II’s words, “Be not afraid”. John Wayne adds, “Courage is having fear and saddling up anyway”. Life will never be easy, it’s a fact. But no matter what times we live in, there is always some good. Having courage to overcome it, and having faith that it will get better, will get us through it.
We should take Samwise the Brave's words to heart. We should find the courage to be a light to the world, and swallow our fear of the darkness, because even darkness must pass. We must have the courage do find out what we’re supposed to do in life, and then…simply walk into Mordor.
3 comments:
Well said! I find that the entire speech is one of my favorite moments in the films, because it can be applied in so many ways. As you said, it gives voice to not being afraid, or to facing the fear and overcoming it. It can be used as an example that though Heaven and Hell fight for humanity, the forces of Hell will never win. And I think in a way, it can be used as an example that as long as good people are in the world and willing to act, things will always turn out well in the end!
Amen to that! I agree that it can be applied to so many things, which is one of the reasons it's so great.
Definitely! I'd not thought of the quote in a while and I'm really glad you brought it up!
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