As Varda so eloquently said in her post just below: our film-journey
seems to be over. And what a ride it was, my friends.
For almost four years we were on pins and needles, anticipating what
Peter Jackson would pull out of his magic hat next. And whether we
agreed with what he showed us, or not, there would always be new stuff
to discuss, to argue over good-naturedly, and to comfort one another if
something didn't turn out the way one wanted it: "it's probably going
to be in the EE." Those magic words won't be used anymore, and those
who are still missing things will always miss them now.
Frodo says at the end of the film: "the Fellowship of the Ring, though
eternally bound by friendship and love, was ended." His alter ego
Elijah Wood says at the end of the DVD: "This is not the end. The
Fellowship will go on as long as we want it to."
It doesn't matter whom you agree with more: either way this journey has
changed our lives.
Some of you may remember last year, when I came storming onto the
Boards, fuming about an article in which a showbiz reporter had stated:
"the final film has been released, and the LOTR geeks go back to their
pathetic little lives". I was outraged. How dare this woman belittle
our passion so?
Later as I cooled down I realised that what counted most was that *I*
knew what it was about.
Yesterday as I was watching the ROTK EE, I looked around my room and
realised that it is so much more than just Geek Planet. The stuff I
collected over these past few years are not just souvenirs of geekdom,
they are memories. Memories of friendship, of belonging, of our journey
together.
Above my bed there's a poster of which I bought three; the other two I
gave to Varda and Indis when I stayed with them. Next to it is a framed
picture of Merry that I found on my pillow when I slept at Indis'
house. A message board next to that, full of letters and postcards from
all over the world. On my bedside table: a framed picture of Merry that
Varda bought for me in Manchester as a consolation prize for not
winning the Trivia game, my Merry action figure that Lith sent me from
the US, my nametags from the Gathering, MotR, RingCon.
On the couch where I watch my DVD's there is a Frodo pillow that Agi
made for me, a teddybear I bought in London with RosieCotton, another
teddybear Agi gave me for being her roomie in Toronto. My action
figures are from Amsterdam, Leiden, Dublin, London, Manchester,
Toronto, the US...
Everything, everything, is a memory of a good moment, a happy moment,
as a Ringer.
And whether I will lose touch with you one day or not, I will always
have these memories of our journey together, to treasure and hold dear.
As I once wrote in a poem for Frodo:
This day has gone, but have no sorrow
For some things never fade away
You keep in your heart the dreams of tomorrow
And the memories of yesterday
I think, in the end, this is why Frodo was able to say goodbye. As he
says to Sam on Mount Doom, he is able to see the Shire again. The
memory lives in his heart, and so he is free to leave it and his
friends behind, knowing that they will always be with him.
((((Mellyn nîn)))) Tenn' enomentielva.
Avondster
