"Sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy?" (Courtney McKinney-Whitaker)
I think most of us will be glad to see the back of 2016.
I am going to let Sam speak for me, as I think he says everything I want to say better than I could. Despite working with history every day, I'm not a cynic. I still love and believe in the old stories Sam speaks of. That which brings out the worst in humanity also brings out the best, and the best is worth fighting for.
And I'm going to copy it, because I think it's worth reading as well as listening to.
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 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.
Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo : What are we holding on to, Sam?
Sam : That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.
"But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now."
I am going to let Sam speak for me, as I think he says everything I want to say better than I could. Despite working with history every day, I'm not a cynic. I still love and believe in the old stories Sam speaks of. That which brings out the worst in humanity also brings out the best, and the best is worth fighting for.
And I'm going to copy it, because I think it's worth reading as well as listening to.
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 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.
Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo : What are we holding on to, Sam?
Sam : That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.
"But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now."
So very true and so important to remember.
ReplyDeleteThose old stories do an important job.
Delete"How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened."
ReplyDeleteI think the key to remember, and that Frodo learned through his pain, is that the world can never go back, but it can, and must, always go forward. And I truly do believe that the world always moves in the direction of light, even if sometimes it passes through a deep shadow to get there. Like Frodo and Sam, we have come far; we dreamed great things. We will continue to do so, even under the shadow. I really do believe it.
I agree. While darkness does rise again and again, as MLK said (paraphrasing), "The long arc of the moral universe bends toward justice." I believe that is true.
DeleteThank you for reminding us to have hope, Courtney. After a year that seemed devoid of silver linings, it was nice to be reminded of Sam's words.
ReplyDelete