“Here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron; here is a book that will b
“Here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron; here is a book that will break your heart… know that this is good news, good beyond hope.” C.S. Lewis on The Lord of the Rings — Why is it good news that, in Lewis’ opinion, “this book will break your heart”? Why good news beyond hope? I’ve been contemplating this a lot recently. Honestly this last year has hardened my emotions. I used to laugh a lot more, I used to cry a lot more. But in fortifying myself to run a small business, create art, and sometimes simply survive over the last nine months, I lost something. I lost the joy of weeping. I lost the feeling I had when I read a passage of my favorite book or saw a scene from a favorite movie. I hold my emotions in check to survive. Because, given the roller coaster ride the world is right now, I’d be all over the place if I did not. But there is something broken in that. We are not robots. We are not made to be heartless survival machines. Emotions are part of the package as a human. Sometimes you need your heart lifted to heaven and then dashed again to earth. Sometimes you need to experience the joy of remembering what once was, only to realize it is gone forever. There is a time for stern resolve, but I have come to realize you cannot live there. Survival is not necessarily living. It’s taken me probably a month to realize all of this. So now I’m working to let my guard down. To open my heart to be touched by joy, but also by sorrow. I’m ready to weep again. So… “Chapter 1. A Long-expected Party…” — #tolkien #lotr #lordoftherings #cslewis #king #viking #vikings #norse #rohan #chainmail #armor #armour #cloak #cape #costume #literature #sword #medieval #knight #banner #flag #joy #weep (at Edoras) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHqVWb-Hin4/?igshid=1am911rupn709 -- source link
#tolkien#lordoftherings#cslewis#viking#vikings#chainmail#armour#costume#literature#medieval#knight#banner