Half way through a Lord of the Rings marathon, but due to the ticking of the clock, “pause” has been pressed and you will find me in my light-blue hoodie and bright pink trackies underneath my quilt. Sleep soon. But blog post about Aragorn for now.
I was eight years old when The Fellowship of the Ring came out. I was a bookworm and in third grade I attempted to read and comprehend all of the Lord of the Rings books before I saw the last movie. I can’t tell you if I was fully successful on the comprehension part, but I did read the whole series in high school, too. But the start of the trilogy? Oh my first memory of FOTR was sneakily propped up in the darkness of an Air New Zealand flight to Auckland, while my mum slept. (Though since then I know she was aware I was watching it). I closed my eyes for the yucky parts, and by the time The Return of the King came out, I was allowed to watch it in theaters rather than at home.
So as you will suspect, Lord of the Rings has had a pretty grand impact on my childhood and adolescence and well, now… partly from being brilliant literature, and the other part– me being from New Zealand, the home of its cinematography. Popular culture is pretty saturated with LOTR as well. But that’s besides the point.
No matter my age, I never cease to be amazed by watching the movies, nor do I go away without a lesson learned. It’s my nature, of course. As a teacher I’m always a learner first and foremost. But the funny thing is, at eight years old I didn’t really know I was learning much anyways. All I remember was staring in the mirror at my childhood self, tucking my long hair behind my ears and wishing they were a tad pointier… and pretending to hold a sword high across the great river and speaking powerful words to destroy the Nazgul and protect Frodo! Yeah. I was that girl.
But wait, I promised you I would be writing about Aragorn. Well, of course I had a crush on almost every character in those movies but he was one of the main ones. Bravery and royalty, faithfulness and courage. Yeah. Yet as I was watching The Two Towers tonight, in his weaknesses and lack of confidence I surprisingly found myself.
Aragorn: The path is hidden from me.
Arwen: It is already laid before your feet. You cannot falter now.
At this, I thought I had just heard an excerpt from a running conversation I have been having with Jesus. “I don’t know what I’m doing, God!! What should I do?!” And He calmly replies, “Keeping walking on the path you are on.”
He knows me. He knows that I hold the light of Him and need to trust in my own judgement enough to lead those around me. Trust that He has equipped me with all I need to continue on my journey. Keep doing what I am doing? It is as simple and as difficult as that?! Yup. My readers, that’s why adventure movies are so powerful for me… they visually unfold the revelation that there is a story grander than my own… that my callings intertwine with others… and Love is the person that carries me through. I cannot falter now. Neither can you, with Jesus at your side.
We were not born to fail. We were born to live.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Not living for a movie franchise, but instead for a Cause so grand we cannot help but be swept away in it! Christ, our returning King, coming for His Bride, us. Surely we can do our part of falling in love and fighting for it. J.R.R. Tolkein’s story should just simply bring clarity to our own lives. Personal application is a vulnerable process– being open to learn, even while being “entertained”– but I know it is well worth it. So I’ll keep my eyes open, or more specifically my heart, and I will try to process all that is inside for you. Keep informed.
Good night, readers. You are beautiful. Do you have any questions or thoughts to share?
The end, for now. 🙂
Photo credit: here
