The Road Goes Ever On & On

~Alae! Gi nathlam hí…ím Sadie. No veren!
 
Happy Tolkien Reading Day!
 
As any self-respecting geek knows, J. R. R. Tolkien wrote that incredible series called Lord of the Rings. Today, we celebrate reading his books and reading about the characters, places, and realms he created.
In this special #TolkienReadingDay post, I’ll be listing some of my favorite quotes from LOTR and The Hobbit and discussing what Tolkien’s works mean to me. Enjoy!
 
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(Prepare for extreme fangirling. Remember, I warned you).
It’s actually hard for me to express in words how much I love anything having to do with Tolkien. I watched the movies when I was six years old, and shortly after, read the books. Since then, I’ve been an avid collector of Tolkien memorabilia, Lord of the Rings/Hobbit movie props, and autographs from the cast members. My dream is to travel to New Zealand one day and try to visit many of the places where the movies were filmed (of course, Hobbiton is a must-see, but I also want to go to Paradise, Mt. Ruapehu, and the Putangirua Pinnacles).
Countless hours were spent watching, re-watching, and re-re-watching all six extended films, as well as the Appendices and the behind-the-scenes. It got to the point where I could name the gaffer who worked on the LOTR films (RIP Brian Bansgrove) and freak out like Victoria Sullivan (I really, REALLY want a Victoria’s Cross) whenever I noticed a continuity mistake. I am quite proud to say that I have watched the movies so many times, I can almost quote them word for word.
With all that being said, you can tell how much I love Tolkien’s world. Pardon me if it seems like I am bragging, but whenever Tolkien Reading Day rolls around, that’s my excuse. I don’t do it any other day, but today I get a pass. 😊
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I don't have a sad story to tell like "Lord of the Rings got me through a tough time," because that wouldn't be true. I'm just a fan who loves the universe Tolkien created, and appreciates the time and thought put into writing a story that would stick with me for my whole life. I read books almost every day, and there have only been one or two good stories that really stay with me, Lord of the Rings being one of them. It's a universe I want to return to week after week.
We see things happening on the news and around us that are so ​scary, worrying, depressing, so real.​
Reading is an escape from life​, and reality. ​A place where you can let your imagination soar.
​There's nothing better then diving into a book or a movie, and immersing yourself in a completely unbelievable world. In a world where dragons hoard gold, elves fight alongside dwarves, and where bad things that happen in our world can't interfere. 
​Without Tolkien and his works, I never would have become a writer. His works gave me the boost I needed to use my imagination and create worlds that people can fall in love with. I started my own journey, just like Bilbo, to find something I didn't know I had: courage. Courage to write, be myself, and not let what those few people told me when I was little determine my future.
​Sometimes, embracing the ​unreal​ is what you need to start on your journey.
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Now, I’ll list some of my all-time favorite Tolkien quotes. Let me know your favorites by commenting or leaving me a Twitter comment.
 
“The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places. But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater.”

“Faithless is he that says goodbye when the roads darken.”

“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

"From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”

“I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”

“The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say”

“Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men, doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.”

“Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate
And though I oft have passed them by
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.”

“In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit.”
 
Na lû e-govaned vîn.
Until the time of our next meeting.
 
~Sadie