Quote:

“I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you!” - Samwise Gamgee, The Lord of the Rings

Context:

If you know me at all, you know I’m a huge Lord of the Rings fan. But do you know why? Well, there are many reasons, but for starters the deep and inspiring themes are one of the big reasons I love it so much. Friendship is a prominent one among these. 

The value of friendship within these timeless books is displayed ever so beautifully. From Frodo and Sam, Aragorn and Boromir, Merry and Pippin, Legolas and Gimli, Bilbo and Thorin, Fili and Kili, so on and so forth. 

Friendship can take many forms, it can defy many odds, and it can know no barriers, but its value isn’t always appreciated as it should be. People like to believe that independent loners who don’t need anyone are the strongest. They conclude that people who need others and who love everyone for who they are, are weak. But that’s never been farther from the truth.

God never designed us to live alone. 

The weight of this world is heavy. Its burdens are hard to bear. As friends we can help each other bear the weight. When it's too much to bear alone, together we can share the load. Don't get bogged down by trying to prove that you can be strong on your own. A true friend always wants to help. 

I think there are two major qualities of the friendship Tolkien portrayed in his stories. The first one being loyalty. 

In the hardest of times Sam never gave up on Frodo. Even when the ring had almost gotten to him, Sam kept on pushing him. Frodo even told Sam to go home, but Sam had made a promise, and he’s not one to break his promises. Sam’s loyalty never stopped. When Frodo couldn’t go any farther Sam picked him up—literally—and carried him the rest of the way. Frodo couldn’t go on, but Sam could, and he wasn’t about to let Frodo fail while there was still yet strength in his bones. 

The Bible says that there is no love greater than one laying down his life for a friend. I believe that Sam would have done the very thing for his companion, Mr. Frodo. 

The second quality I see is how friendship knows no boundaries. 

In the books its shown through Legolas and Gimli’s friendship. In Middle Earth previously relationships between the Elves and Dwarves weren’t very good. To put it bluntly, they hated each other. Each race had reasons for this of course, and to be fair, the reasons were just, but the stubbornness of the Dwarves and the pride of the Elves helped nothing. Through the books we see as Legolas, an Elf, and Gimli, a Dwarf, are united together on one mission. We see how their hostility of each other, turned into something more of a tolerance at first, and eventually became a true fondness and friendship. They started out arguing, fighting over everything, both believing they were better than the other. But in the end you see their bond. Competing with each other to see who could kill more orcs, laughing, joking, both valuing each other for who they are. 

It’s truly in the darkest times that the greatest relationships are forged. 

On their last march to battle, both Legolas and Gimli believed that they were heading to their doom. In Gimli’s words he says, “I never thought I would die, fighting side by side with an elf.” And Legolas replies, “What about side by side with a friend?” 

It is a true example that boundaries cannot stop true friendship from blossoming. 

“Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy, for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence.” Proverbs 27:9

- Adalyn E. Skains