There’s Still Some Good In This World & That’s Worth Fighting For

“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.”

— J. R. R. Tolkien / Lord of the Rings

I finally got around to watching Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Why did it take me so long, you ask? It is safe to say that fantasy battle movies like this are not super-popular options around the Ciocchetti house full of little girls. I try to bribe them with popcorn and candy to watch some of the classic battle movies like Star Wars, Men in Black, Jurassic Park . . . even Indiana Jones. It’s fruitless. The girls are excited for about ten minutes, chow down their snacks, and then deftly leave the room. I am alone with Darth Vader or Agent K . Most of the time we’re enthralled with Dora the Explorer, Frozen, Moana, or the Secret Life of Pets. One glorious time it was Animal Fight Night with my three-year-old when mommy wasn’t home. All are great shows to watch with kids, to be sure. Thankfully, however, I was finally able to sneak away and watch something more up my alley for a change. I really just wanted to watch a good, old-fashioned epic battle movie, but I came away with some deep wisdom that I’ve applied in my life and public speeches ever since. My first thought was to title this post: From Frozen to Frodo, but that doesn’t do justice to this incredibly powerful topic.

The Two Towers is a typical good-versus-evil thriller. It’s pure fiction and ends with a huge battle where the good guys are losing, and hope for the future has all but disappeared. The forces of evil are too powerful, I mean . . . they have huge, black, mean dragons for starters. The cause is faltering, and good people are dying. The hero character – Frodo – is discouraged and ready to give up. His mind and courage are shot. Though his effort is critical to rip victory from the jaws of defeat, Frodo is found walking around the battle with his sword at his side in a sort of trance. He is so ready to give up that he cannot even focus on what or who is around him. This is the type of listless despair we’ve all been in when we think we’ve lost something important and our tank of hope is empty. If Frodo gives up now, the good guys cannot win, true evil will prevail, and all is lost. I was on the edge of my seat.

It’s important to note that Frodo has a sidekick that sticks with him throughout the movie named Samwise Gamgee or Sam. he is with Frodo again during this battle. And thank goodness. As a huge dragon looms over Frodo, Sam runs up and pushes him to safety. Cowering in a corner, dejected, and confused, Frodo eventually drops his sword and says, “I can’t do this, Sam.” The viewer thinks, “It’s done.” And then . . . Sam says something amazing:

That made me jump off the couch. I wasn’t expecting such wise words from a sidekick. I bet you can guess what happens next. It’s worth watching to see for yourself. It would be an understatement to say that Sam’s words have stuck with me ever since. In fact, the idea that there is still something worth fighting for in my life is what gets me up every morning – particularly in a world that can be so tough, unfair, and unpredictable.

The buildup to Sam’s wisdom is even better. He acknowledges that the situation the good guys find themselves in is unjust, that they shouldn’t be in the position to lose the entire kingdom to the dark forces around them.Sometimes when helping others in a tough place it is important to say: “I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here.”

And then Sam focuses back to reality and declares, “But we are.”

Instead of folding like Frodo, the much physically-weaker Sam saves the day with his words and his hope. Sam masterfully finds a path through in the darkness. He hearkens back to their childhood together and the stories they were told. We’ve all encountered these stories as kids, sagas where it looked like the pain would never end and where evil would triumph over good. But it never happened that way in those stories. The good guys rallied and things got better over time. Sometimes it was slow, but it was always better. Life got better in time. As Sam stated, “Even darkness must pass. A new day will come.”

Why? Because, even in our non-fiction world, people throughout time found the courage to fight on through the darkness and back into the light. They sensed that the good was worth fighting for and it drove them. And . . . it continues to drive me every day. I certainly still believe that there is some good left in this world – like my kids, my wife, my students, a character-filled community, my neighborhood, better fathers, etc . . . .  So, I get up each day and vow to keep fighting. I have seen first-hand Sam’s wisdom that “when the sun shines” after overcoming adversity, it shines out even more clearly. That is a blessing indeed.

This story reminded me that I am holding on to something that gives me fuel, something bigger than myself. How about you?

More soon,

Corey

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