Fighting the Good Fight

As I watch the political drama day after day, and see far the public discourse has sunk, I keep looking for the Knight in Shining Armor to ride in on his/her white horse to come in and save the day! Now that we are less than a month away, that seems highly unlikely. What we really need is the unassuming Frodo Baggins and his gardener Samwise Gamgee!

In The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, the future of mankind is placed in young Frodo’s hands, as he and eight companions go on a mission to destroy the Ring before it can be captured by Lord Sauron. Frodo is a hobbit, and hobbits are known for being simple and humble. He accepts the mission, even though it seems an impossible task. (This is a painfully simplistic summary of one of the greatest stories of all time!)

Looking at our political system, it seems impossible to turn things around. It is easy to get discouraged. There seems to be little room for compromise or even collaboration! And yet, to lose hope is to give up all that is good and worth saving. What we need is a renewal of interest in public service and some good people to work for change. Commitment to our national values and human decency would be a great start.

As Frodo and Sam are in a dire predicament, having been through one harrowing experience after another, they are talking. Frodo is exhausted and deeply discouraged, so Sam (the humble gardener) is helping him put things in perspective. Here is the dialog from the movie, The Two Towers:

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.

Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. 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.

Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

(http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0035497/quotes)

We have to keep fighting for what is right. Keep the faith! 

Blessings,

Barb

PS If you haven't read The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

, put it at the top of your reading list! You can watch the movies to get the story line, but the book is even better!