25th June 2019

I didn’t get to see the recent Tolkien film, but thought I’d quickly read his famous book again to mark the occasion. What a great story! To destroy the ruling ring before the Lord of the Rings can get it back on his finger and conquer Middle-Earth. At present the small hobbit Frodo has it firmly on his person but not on his finger, and his quest is to take it to Mount Doom to destroy it.

I’m up to the part where Frodo is just leaving the Elven stronghold of Lórien, and the elves have endowed the Fellowship with powerful cloaks to protect them on their quest. The cloaks are received with much appreciation, and when asked for an explanation about their intricate weave, the reply comes as follows: “Leaf and branch, water and stone: they have the hue and beauty of all these things under the twilight of Lórien that we love; for we put the thought of all that we love into all that we make.”

There, I thought, in that last sentence is an elven gift to me. “To put the thought of all that I love, into all that I do.” Grace and mercy into the weave of all my actions. Kindness and goodness into the texture of all my conversations. Humility and gentleness into the stitching of all the things that I will attempt to make today, as I continue my quest, not for the Black Gates, but for the pearly ones that lead to something higher.

DM 25th June 2019