Talking trees. What do trees have to talk about? Except the consistency of squirrel droppings.
Gimli
The bond of communication
Elves are all about the knowledge and pursuit of it. As it seems they are also propagating it. The Elves taught the trees to speak and communicate with each other, which is why Legolas is the only one who can understand them. They anthropomorphized them.
Fangorn forest is riddled with anger. Due to its age, its memory spans back a long time. I find it very encouraging and noteworthy that Elves made the effort of teaching the trees to speak. It not only enables them to communicate with each other but to communicate with other races as well. It gives a particular connection to all living things.
Since Professor Tolkien was all about linguistics, it is no wonder he chose this means of communication among the races. It is a bonding thing to be able to communicate with other species. It gives a sense of unity and belonging.
The stage of acceptance
Death has been on my mind for some time now. I have recently lost a friend and a dear colleague. She was a wonderful soul whose life had been spent serving others. Selfless is the character trait that all who knew her described her as. Tragically, death had taken her prematurely and without warning. Even though she has saved herself from the pain she endured of late, she has left an indelible mark on the people around her.
Acceptance is a stage in the grieving process we all go through. It is also the toughest stage to overcome. It is painful to accept someone passing. Up until that point denial and anger have tried to find a culprit in the entire situation, hoping it would bring relief. It never does. Ignoring and fighting against the truth brings only misery and depression.
Acceptance on a surface level is needed in order to function normally. The shock of the tragedy, however, still lingers. The thought of never seeing her again is not realistic. It will take time for it all to sink in. How much time depends on how much time I take to process it.
The Fellowship still grieves for Gandalf. And even though the journey denies their minds from ever entering the stages of grief, the pain remains. This pain may also be their core motivation for moving forward. It could have crippled them, but they used it as fuel to push on.
The probability of the impossible
You fell.
Aragorn
But what happens when, in all improbability, you discover you were wrong? Their eyes have not deceived them, they saw Gandalf fall in Moria. How must it feel when all you knew about a situation is wrong? The shock reappears, disbelief. The Fellowship`s feelings about Gandalf`s presumed death have been real and they colored their entire reality.
Now, only Frodo and Sam are still grieving but the rest of the Fellowship is in the know about the truth of the situation. How extraordinary a feeling it must be, believing in something, veiling your entire reality only to be proven wrong?
Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. Stars wheeled overhead and every day was as long as a life age on the Earth.
Gandalf
The fact that Gandalf was sent back to do the job that Saruman failed to do, is a very reassuring thing. Since Saruman had sided with the enemy, Gandalf had to be sent back to Middle-Earth to set things right. He needs to be there to help guide the rest of the Company and help them in seeking help against a brewing war.
Gandalf has a plausible explanation for the three hunters. And although truthful, still unbelievable. Everything we know of the Maiar does not change the way we felt about his fall. As strong as our emotions were when having to come to terms with Gandalf’s death, so strong is the elation of his return. Our emotional reality shifts again, but this time in a strongly positive direction.
Our emotional reality
It is amazing how our emotions govern our lives. We can remain oblivious to them, but sooner or later they want to be dealt with. If we ignore them, they will only grow stronger with time. Everything else renders itself insignificant until those emotions are acknowledged. If we remain blind to a negative feeling, it starts to direct our behavior. Our patience is the first to go.
Everyone else around us is to blame for making us feel frustrated and miserable. Kept under wraps, the emotion seeps into every aspect of our lives, leaving it meaningless. It changes our outlook and messes with our belief system.
Gríma appears to have that particular problem. He has come to the point of no return, embracing evil as a way of life. Could he change back? The answer lies in my next post.
Featured photo by Roksolana Zasiadko on Unsplash.
