Solo Like Frodo

Why do we have this tendency to go through life solo? Why do we prefer to struggle through our problems by ourselves? Why do we shun advice and help and experience when we should be seeking these things? Why do we think that we're better off alone?

I just finished watching the super-mega-hyper-extended version of all three Lord Of The Ring movies. (Now with even more false endings!) With the extended and additional scenes, it's now the length of four movies. At one point early on, the Fellowship disbands as they fight a bunch of Orcs and our hero Frodo takes off by himself, only to relent and allow Sam to join him when Sam almost drowns in pursuit. Later on, Gollum manipulates Frodo and gets him to get rid of Sam, only to have Sam come back and save his life after the giant spider attacks him.

In fact, Frodo has a strong tendency to wander off by himself at exactly the worst moments. Repeatedly, he states that this burden is his to bear alone. And yet, he would have drowned and been captured and been eaten a number of times if Sam hadn't caught him. Actually, I always found it annoying that Sam was supposed to look out for Frodo but Sam kept looking after his own butt while Frodo went into trances and walked into danger. You would think that Sam would have learned his lesson after the third time, eh?

The movie culminates with Frodo faltering as he and Sam ascend Mount Doom. Sam gives his Oscar-worthy speech about strawberries and better times, and then he lifts Frodo onto his back and starts to walk a mile up a smokin' hot mountain. That brave gardener must have been lifting weights back in the Shire or something. (Yes, I found that part hard to believe but the wizards and the all-seeing eye were just fine.)

My point is that going through life alone sucks. We might think that we're better off tackling our troubles by ourselves but that's just not true. Ever. More likely, we'll get caught in a trance of self pity and we'll get chomped by a Nazgul. Or we'll get lost in the barrens and we'll keep returning to the same spot again and again. We will sit there and suck our thumb, and we will despair and lose hope. We will look into the dark night and fail to see the stars and we will forget that dawn is coming soon.

Everyone needs a friend to lean on, everyone needs a helping hand. "Everybody needs somebody sometime..." (C'mon now, sing it!) We need to let people into our lives, instead of blocking them out. We need somebody to raise our head up and encourage us. We need to have a friend that can tell us what we don't want to hear but what we need to hear, that will help protect us. We need a friend that will walk beside us, in good times and bad. We need our friends.

Friends are precious. Yes...my Precious...