Tolkien and TCKs

Posted: 30th November 1999 by admin in Uncategorized

My family watched the LOTR movies over our Christmas holiday, and it got me thinking. So many things that Tolkien wrote (whether or not they are included in the movies) resonate with me, as a person, as a Christian, and as a TCK – and I absolutely love reading the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Anyways, here is a song and a couple quotes found in The Lord of the Rings, which I wanted to share with all of you. If you like these, I STRONGLY encourage you to read the books!! 🙂

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.

**

“How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand there is no going back. There are some things that time can not mend. Some hurts that go too deep… that have taken hold.”

**

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost;
the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring;
renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.”

**

“Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened. Gandalf: So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

**

Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgment. For even the very wise cannot see all ends.

**

He used often to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: it’s springs were at every doorstep and every path was it’s tributary. “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door,” he used to say. “You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no telling where you might be swept off to.”

**

“The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out.”

**

Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.

**

Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.

**

Memory is not what the heart desires. That is only a mirror, be it clear as Kheled-zâram. Or so says the heart of Gimli the Dwarf. Elves may see things otherwise. Indeed I have heard that for them memory is more like to the waking world than to a dream. Not so for Dwarves.

  1. Anonymous says:

    Now, the Japanese language has implemented both British and American words and since I was born / raised in Japan, when I came to the US I had to readjust my words in my head. I realized that the Japanese language took the best of both worlds and made it their own like:

    pan = fry pan
    toilet = toilet (here in the US we say restrooms)
    jumper = jumper (meaning a jacket in Japanese)
    pot = pot (usually related to an electric pot to boil water)
    sweat shirt = sweat shirt (not a sweater)
    sweater with buttons = cardigan

    LOL…. how fun can this realization be?

  2. Anonymous says:

    WOW, i am a fan of J.R.R Tolkien and i never realized he was a TCK or that some of his songs/quotes/.. are connected to TCKs.

    thanks for the post!