WARNING - CONTAINS LORD OF THE RINGS SPOILERS

‘You cannot pass!’

‘I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. You cannot pass. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udûn. Go back to the Shadow! You cannot pass.’

As Gandalf stood at the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm facing down the Balrog, he more than likely knew that it would mean his doom. He was already weary from fending off the Orcs that pursued their party, and had exhausted a great deal of energy blocking the Balrog from exiting Balin’s tomb.

Weary as he was, that did not stop him from standing up to a great evil.

Hot on the heels of the Fellowship were also hundreds of Orcs and Trolls. While the Company boasted the legendary warriors Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli they also had along with them the Hobbits Merry, Pippin, Samwise, and Frodo. These folk did not stand a chance against the malice of the Orcs, and formidable though they were even the mightiest of warriors can only fight against so many. Before he even came to the Bridge, Gandalf’s choice was made for him.

Though the world today is much more peaceful than Middle Earth was in the Third Age and far more hospitable than life has been in recent history, we are still reminded daily that there is still great evil in our world. Mass shootings are abound. Genocide and war continue to rage. Animals suffer at our expense and the scourge of plastic covers our oceans and our lands.

At times the great weight of these burdens can feel paralyzing. How can everyday people stand up to this evil on a daily basis like Gandalf did without giving up hope?

When we begin to feel as if we cannot go on any longer, we must remember the Fellowship.

Lessons From The Fellowship of The Ring on Standing Up to Evil

Fight for the Shire! (When you must)

The Loudenback Shire. I would totally stand up to a cave troll to preserve this.

Suddenly, and to his own surprise, Frodo felt a hot wrath blaze up in his heart. ‘The Shire!’ he cried, and springing beside Boromir, he stooped, and stabbed with Sting at the hideous foot. There was a bellow, and the foot jerked back, nearly wrenching Sting from Frodo’s arm. Black drops dripped from the blade and smoked on the floor. Boromir hurled himself against the door and slammed it again.

‘One for the Shire!’ cried Aragorn.

Small as he was, the thought of his homeland and those that he cared about most launched Frodo into action and gave him the courage to strike at a Cave Troll who was many times his size. His valiant act bought the Company valuable time and allowed them to bar the door once more to stand against their enemies.

Fighting is a last resort. However, if you are ever faced with an evil that threatens to harm you or those you care about, remember your version of the Shire. It might be the sight and smell of freshly blooming flowers in your garden, it could be the memory of sitting around the fire with your family on a cold winter night, or a tradition that you and your friends participate in each year. Whatever it may be, these tokens of home and hearth can be a life raft for you when the ocean of darkness threatens to drag you under the surface.

'I feel that as long as the Shire lies behind, safe and comfortable, I shall find wandering more bearable: I shall know that somewhere there is a firm foothold, even if my feet cannot stand there again.' - Frodo

Befriend your rivals.

'Welcome Gimli, son of Glóin! It is long indeed since we saw one of Durin’s folk in Caras Galadhon. But today we have broken our long law. May it be a sign that though the world is now dark better days are at hand, and that friendship shall be renewed between our peoples.' - Lord Celeborn to Gimli

Since the murder of the elf leader Thingol the Dwarves and the Elves always had a longstanding rivalry. There were many reasons for this rivalry - the dwarves lived underground, the elves outside amongst the trees. Dwarves used machines and tools to bend the earth to their will, while the elves lived in harmony with nature. Dwarves were stubborn and short sighted, elves immortal and understanding. At a high level, the elves and dwarves were different from each other, and this created a mutual distrust between the two races.

As Gimli makes his way through Lothlórien, the elves first blindfold him to ensure that he cannot remember the way into their sacred lands. However, realizing that there is a bigger cause to fight for and that Dwarves and Elves need to be united against that cause, they remove his blindfold and welcome him into their city, Caras Galadhon.

It is easy to let old grudges and bad blood determine the way we treat others. However, if we take the time to sit down and talk with those we disagree with, we quickly realize that they are not that different than us, and at the end of the day all of humanity is better served when we work together towards a common goal.

Help those who appear weaker than you - they will surprise you.

'My dear Frodo!’ exclaimed Gandalf. ‘Hobbits really are amazing creatures, as I have said before. You can learn all that there is to know about their ways in a month, and yet after a hundred years they can still surprise you at a pinch.'

Although the fellowship is made up of five of the most powerful and legendary characters in the history of Middle Earth, it turns out to be the four smallest and most underestimated members that make the biggest impact in the fight against Sauron. Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee take on the most difficult task of all - attempting to bring The Ring to Mordor and cast it into the fires of Mount Doom. Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took (fool though he is) wind up playing major roles in the fight against the Dark Lord.

Everyone and everything, big or small, has a significant part to play in our journey. It is important to never undermine someone simply because of a perceived difference that you may see as lesser or inferior. Alternate skill sets and qualities should be cherished and nurtured; we should look to encourage the strengths of everybody and do all we can to help them achieve in the highest.

'The road must be trod, but it will be very hard. And neither strength nor wisdom will carry us far upon it. This quest may be attempted by the weak with as much hope as the strong. Yet such is oft the course of deeds that move the wheels of the world: small hands do them because they must, while the eyes of the great are elsewhere.' - Elrond

Go on journeys to new places.

'The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.' - Haldir

Visiting Dachau was one of the most awe inspiring and frankly unpleasant experiences of my life. However after leaving I was determined that we as a human race can never allow anything so despicable to ever be built and carried out again.

As human beings we have a hard time understanding things that we have not been directly exposed to. Hearing things about other people and faraway places via the media, internet, and word of mouth is a bit like playing a game of telephone; you are being fed another person’s opinion that has been diluted by time, beliefs, and prior experiences. There is no substitute for going out and seeing the world with your own two eyes. Meeting people that are different from you and experiencing new places allows you to learn about yourself and others and frees your mind to be more accepting of differences. At the end of the day everybody has something that can make them happy - taking the time to sit and learn about those things can show the world in a new light and help us to realize that we all are not so different after all.

Sometimes you will need to make tough decisions in order to do the right thing.

'I will do now what I must,' he said. 'This at least is plain: the evil of the Ring is already at work even in the Company, and the Ring must leave them before it does more harm. I will go alone. Some I cannot trust, and those who I can trust are too dear to me: poor old Sam, and Merry and Pippin. Strider, too: his heart yearns for Minas Tirith, and he will be needed there, now Boromir has fallen into evil. I will go alone. At once.' - Frodo

At many times during our lives we will all be tested. This test may be great and a grave decision may need to be made; or it may be a small and seemingly meaningless choice. However, all of the choices we make, big or small, accumulate to create who we are and what we represent.

We may not be Frodo bearing the fate of Middle-Earth, but that does not make our actions any less important or any easier. There comes a time in everyone’s life where a difficult choice must be made. The choices may be clearly laid out or they may be muddled, but if we ask ourselves a few simple questions whenever we make a difficult decision that we are unsure of, the path that is right and just can usually be determined.

What would I want someone else to do if they were in my shoes and I were on the outside looking in?
Which decision will bring the most good into the world, and which decision may potentially bring hurt or sadness to others?
If I were to tell my loved ones and closest friends this story, what would I want to tell them and what would I want them to think of me?

Part of the beauty of our lives in this day and age is that many of us have an unparalleled freedom of choice. We have a myriad of lifestyles to choose from, unlimited things to learn, and countless activities to get involved in. However this plethora of options also means that we need to make decisions more often than any people ever before in history. By creating a decision framework that works for you and building up a habit of always making the choice that leads to good will help you to steel yourself when faced with a seemingly impossible decision.

Be like Samwise Gamgee.

Frodo may have borne the ring to Mount Doom, but he could not have completed his task without the help of his faithful friend and servant, Samwise Gamgee.

Few characters provide a better representation of pureness and devotion to doing the right thing than Sam. All throughout their journey the Fellowship was steered by the principles of Sam. Sam may have been a simple gardner, but he contained such deep care for all of his companions whether they be dwarf, elf, man, hobbit, or pony.

'But you can’t leave poor old Bill (the Fellowship's pony) behind in this forsaken place, Mr. Gandalf!' cried Sam, angry and distressed. 'I won’t have it, and that’s flat. After he has come so far and all!'

Bill, seeming to understand well what was going on, nuzzled up to him, putting his nose to Sam’s ear. Sam burst into tears, and fumbled with the straps, unlading all the pony’s packs and throwing them on the ground.

Whether it was a conscious decision or simply a part of who he was, Sam understood that the way we treat animals and creatures is a reflection of the way we treat ourselves, and that forms a pattern of decision making when we are interacting with other living beings.

Sam was also completely devoted to his master, Frodo. Sam realized that Frodo could not stand up to his tall task on his own and vowed to go with him to the fires of Mount Doom, even if it meant that he would never see his beloved Shire again. Sam chose to do this thing not because it was easy or because it would bring him happiness, but simply because it was the right thing to do for the good people and creatures of Middle-Earth. It was a selfless act against an evil power that was many times more powerful than him, and thanks to his courage and sense of loyalty those that he cared about were saved from tremendous horror and suffering.

'It would be the death of you to come with me, Sam,' said Frodo, 'and I could not have borne that.'

'Not as certain as being left behind,' said Sam.

'But I am going to Mordor.'

'I know that well enough, Mr. Frodo. Of course you are. And I’m coming with you.'

Don’t Fight Evil With Evil.

Do not be tempted by the power of the Ring.

It can seem easy to reciprocate harsh words, violence, and other evil acts with like actions. If someone hurts you or someone that you care about why should they not feel the same pain that they made others feel? In heated moments of passion and anger this path can be all too easy to follow and we can start down it without fully thinking about what we are doing in the moment.

The answer to evil acts is not to commit further evil acts. Responding to malicious deeds with forgiveness can be one of the most difficult things that we ever do, but responding to them with malice brings us down to the level of our opponents and creates an evil pattern that we are bound to follow in the future.

When Boromir attempted to take the Ring from Frodo and return it to Minas Tirith for the Men of Gondor to use in the war against Sauron he wanted to use the Ring’s power to save his people, but indeed when he made that decision the same evil power he was hoping to use betrayed him and lead him to his doom.

'Come, come, my friend!' said Boromir in a softer voice. 'Why not get rid of it? Why not be free of your doubt and fear? You can lay the blame on me, if you will. You can say that I was too strong and took it by force. For I am too strong for you, halfling,' he cried; and suddenly he sprang over the stone and leaped at Frodo. His fair and pleasant face was hideously changed; a raging fire was in his eyes.

Stand together for what you believe in with your Fellowship.

Nobody can stand up to evil and malice alone. Whether or not we want to admit it we all need to rely on the support and strength of others at times. When facing a nefarious foe it is more important than ever to stand together with your allies that believe in the same principles and visions of the way that others deserve to be treated. Everyone is stronger when they have their friends standing by them. That was the very basis of the Fellowship of the Ring - nine companions who would set out and be there for the others through thick and thin, all striving towards a common goal. Challenges and difficulties will always arise, and they are always easier to surmount with good friends by your side.

But it does not seem that I can trust anyone," said Frodo.

Sam looked at him unhappily. "It all depends on what you want," put in Merry. "You can trust us to stick to you through thick and thin – to the bitter end. And you can trust us to keep any secret of yours – closer than you keep it yourself. But you cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone, and go off without a word. We are your friends, Frodo. Anyway, there it is. We know most of what Gandalf has told you. We know a good deal about the Ring. We are horribly afraid – but we are going with you, or following you like hounds.

“I sit beside the fire and think
of people long ago,
and people who will see a world
that I shall never know

But all the while I sit and think
of times there were before,
I listen for returning feet
and voices at the door. ”

— A song by Bilbo Baggins

Sing many songs.

Throughout their journey, from the Shire to Rivendell to Parth Galen, the Fellowship continually sings to keep their spirits up. They sing about their homes, about their own heroes, about places far away and ages long past.

Music has always been a sacred and special thing for people everywhere. It brings people off all different backgrounds and beliefs together and unites them for a common purpose. It is as close to a universal language as we can get.

No matter how fair your voice, singing songs will always be a way to stave off evil and negativity. Villainy and spite works best when people are segregated and cut of from each other; music combats this by bringing us together and providing a positive and welcoming atmosphere to all.

Above all, don’t give up hope.

‘Despair, or folly?’ said Gandalf. ‘It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not. It is wisdom to recognize necessity, when all other courses have been weighed, though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope. Well, let folly be our cloak, a veil before the eyes of the Enemy! For he is very wise, and weighs all things to a nicety in the scales of his malice. But the only measure that he knows is desire, desire for power; and so he judges all hearts. Into his heart the thought will not enter that any will refuse it, that having the Ring we may seek to destroy it. If we seek this, we shall put him out of reckoning.’

Violence, segregation, racism, judgement of those we do not know; all of these things gain more power when their targets believe that there is nothing that they can do to stop them. This is never the truth. Most people in the world are kind, sharing, open hearted, and accepting. When faced with someone who is trying to harm you either physically or mentally, the most important thing that we can do is to reach out to another person and just ask them to fill us with hope again.

In a perfect world you would be lucky enough to go through your life without having to confront an evil that tests your constitution and requires you to make difficult decisions. However it is more than likely that we all will be tested in this way before too long; it is not a pleasant thought and not something that we should look forward to, but when we come to that critical moment it is important to have prepared oneself with smaller challenges and decision frameworks and ensure that we make the right choice no matter the circumstances.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”