When I drive to and from work, there's an intersection near the high school that has had a single shoe in the middle of it for about a month now. Every time I see it I just wonder about its story, you know? I wonder where it came from, how just one shoe made it into the middle of an intersection. I wonder why it's still there, why the kid hasn't come back for it, why people just drive by and ignore it. Everyone is probably thinking the same as me, though. They see it and think, "I wonder how long it will be there before someone moves it." I'm kind of hoping for ever.
I'm not sure who else would appreciate this, if you even do.
A few weeks ago I finished The Hobbit, and there's a passage in it that has stuck with me since, and I've been wanting to discuss it. It's when Bilbo is on the raft and his friends (the dwarves) are inside barrels being pushed down the river. Bilbo is invisible, listening to the raftmen talk about the dragon and the legends of the returning dwarf king, and the treasure that will come subsequently. After this, Tolkien writes:
But men remembered little of all that, though some still sang old songs of the dwarf-kings of the Mountain, Thror and Thrain of the race of Durin, and of the coming of the Dragon, and the fall of the lords of Dale. Some sang too that Thror and Thrain would come back one day and gold would flow in rivers, through the mountain-gates, and all that land would be filled with new song and new laughter. But this pleasant legend did not much affect their daily business.
When I read this, I can't help but think that Tolkien wasn't describing some fantasy land's myth and legend. It seems very apparent to me that he was describing man and the "legend" of God. We sing songs about God, talk about the second-coming, believe in the treasures we will one day have...yet somehow we don't let this "much affect [our] daily business." Maybe this is just me and how I read too much into things. Anyway, I hope you appreciate this thought as much as I do.
This week is dragging on really slowly. It's been tough, not because I'm alone, but because I know this is only temporary. See, if I was alone because I was in a new place or because all my friends ditched me or something, well I would do something to change that. The problem is, I know my friends are coming back, so I'm just stuck waiting until they do. Maybe I should treat both situations the same? I don't know, I don't want to make new friends just for a few days and then never talk to them again. Besides, it's only a few more days now. I can do this.
One more day of work, then I'm off for the rest of spring break. I'm hoping to go to the beach this weekend, get some surfing in. I haven't been surfing in two years.
From Tolkien, by way of Gandalf the White:
"I have spoken words of hope. But only of hope. Hope is not victory."
sincerely,
vm
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dear vm,