I returned to see "The Hobbit"
for a second time
(in 3D, but of course)
last night.

Having read the book,
after reading Tolkien's trilogy,
many years ago,
when I was about fifteen or sixteen years old,
and having been a Tolkien fan
from that day to this,
(complete with a map of Middle Earth
on my wall,
throughout my teens),
I was listening and watching
more closely than many others
are llkely to have.

This second time I noticed,
much more than I did the first time,
the harsh comments
which were being made by Thorin,
the dwarf king,
to Bilbo,
"the Burgler".

While listening more intently
than I otherwise would have been, 
a spoken line jumped out
and hit me really hard.

It was regarding the fact
that several huge armies,
who were supposed to be allies, 
had chosen not to help them
in their quest
to regain their homeland.

Thus it had been left
to this little rag-tag group of fourteen persons
to do what no army
or combination of armies
felt able to do.

While scorning his relatives,
who had refused to offer any help whatsoever,
he made a remark about the twelve
who he had chosen to assist him.

Here were his qualifications
for service in this most difficult task
with just about zero probability of success.

LOYALTY,
HONOR,
and
A WILLING HEART.

For, he continued,
what more can you ask of any man?

I would add FIDELITY,
and TRUTHFULNESS,
to the list,
although, these may be included
in HONOR and LOYALTY,
as subsets.

What do you think?


w/very powerful and intense love,

vw

but,
while in a very pissed off mood,
because of continuous exposure
to the opposite
of the values I am alluding to, above.

It really gets old,

And moreso,
the older
(and hopefully wiser)
I get.


1-17-13
Thursday
2:28 p.m.
Ventura, California, USA


p.s.

the very cold weather,
which came down from the north,
left yesterday
(good riddance!).

Today,
we have a strong east wind
and warm weather.

I have been walking several miles
on the beach at sunset
every day
in order to commune with God,
nature,
and all of my various little animal friends
(who all know me very well for many years),
including a seal,
who comes in very close,
and only shows itself to me,
for some odd reason,
along with two pairs of dolphins
who only come out
of the golden rays reflecting on the water,
and nowhere else,
for some other odd reason.

I have been joined
by a large group of baby Sandpipers,
who normally avoid humans,
like a plague,
but who have finally become comfortable with me,
such that they join me,
walking
(or should I say, running)
the entire length of the beach with me.

I am deeply moved by this,
and am honored and privileged,
as weird as that may sound to you,
and many others.

Am looking forward
to getting to take off my jackets
and shoes,
soon.