In Lord of the Rings lore, today is the day (in the fictional year 3021) when Frodo sails into the Uttermost West alongside the other Ringbearers to find healing for his lingering wounds and trauma. From the Grey Havens (the port seen at the end of Return of the King), he leaves Middle-earth alongside Bilbo, Gandalf, Elrond, and Galadriel. Together, they depart for the hidden land of Valinor, known as the “Undying Lands” and an earthly paradise.

Frodo’s Final Journey

Frodo received lasting physical and mental wounds from his journey to destroy the One Ring. Most notably, he continued to feel the Witch-king’s blade from when he was stabbed on Weathertop in The Fellowship of the Ring.

As a reward for carrying the burden of the One Ring, Frodo is invited to sail alongside the other Ringbearers to the Undying Lands. It is there he would find the lasting peace he deserved.

I’m certain that Frodo would receive a PTSD diagnosis after everything he endured. The members of the Fellowship were each veterans of a long, weary war to free Middle-earth from Sauron’s power.

The scene in which Frodo says goodbye to Sam, Merry, and Pippin before taking the ship with Gandalf has aged well as an everlasting tearjerker:

As others have said, the moment when Frodo slowly turns around and gives his companions a warm, peaceful smile is so heartwarming. No matter how bittersweet their parting, they all understood in that moment that Frodo would finally be free of his wearisome burdens.

The movie’s version of his departure will always stand the test of time. Of course, the original scene in the books is also quite poignant and may be more tear-inducing to some. Tolkien gives the readers a brief but beautiful description of the moment Frodo’s ship enters the hidden realm of the Uttermost West, describing it in such a way that it seemed like entering Heaven.

Here’s a great video on the Grey Havens by lore master Nerd of the Rings on YouTube:

Trauma Parallels: Celebrían

I’ve had a blast getting into Tolkien’s deeper lore (especially things not mentioned in the movies). I learned that Frodo’s reasons for leaving Middle Earth have some similarities to another character: Celebrían, the wife of Elrond and mother of Arwen (and Arwen’s brothers, of course).

Here’s another great video by The Nerd of the Rings about her:

Celebrían was ambushed by orcs while traveling from Rivendell to visit her parents, Galadriel and Celeborn, in Lothlorien. While she was held captive, she received a poisoned wound from the orcs.

Her sons, Elladan and Elrohir, would find and rescue her, returning her to Rivendell where Elrond was able to heal her wound. However, Elrond was powerless to heal his wife’s unseen wounds. The trauma and horror of what she’d experienced hung over her like a heavy shadow.

In order to fully escape the memories of what she’d suffered at the hands of the orcs, Celebrían sailed into the West the following year. There, she would find peace and healing that only the Undying Lands could provide.

Between Celebrían and Frodo, there’s an underlying parallel of needing healing for persisting pain, either of the body or of the mind/spirit. I wonder if Frodo would’ve had the chance to have empathetic conversations with Celebrían about what they endured in Middle-earth?

Escaping Earthly Woes

Everything about the Grey Havens and escaping to Valinor no doubt resonates with many people, especially those with lingering traumatic memories that can’t be overcome. It would be more than understandable if they envied Celebrían and Frodo for the healing they found.

This portion of Tolkien’s lore certainly resonates with me, especially as somebody who’s struggled with depression for many years. I’ve wondered what it would be like to spend my last days in Valinor like Frodo did, being free of everything that’s weighed on my heart.

Dreaming of Valinor

I remember reading in The Silmarillion (the prequel to The Lord of the Rings) that it was told among the faithful men of Middle-earth that the Undying Lands would occasionally welcome those lost at sea. This would likely be a special privilege granted by the Valar, the gods of Middle-earth.

Reading that bit influenced my dreams. Back in May ’24, I had a brief but vivid dream of coming to Valinor on a drifting wooden raft, broken and exhausted after being lost at sea. As I finally came to the radiant shores, the Vala Irmo (the master of dreams) stood somberly waiting for me.

He took me into his arms and carried me away to Lórien, the gardens of Valinor where many went to find respite from weariness. I spent a brief period of time there with him by my side, resting and feeling relieved of everything I’d suffered, before passing away peacefully to go to his brother, Mandos.

Here’s yet another great video by Nerd of the Rings to better explain who Mandos is:

Seeking Peace

That dream came to me during a particularly stressful month. I’d been recovering from a traumatic visit to the hospital and had also been worried about my future in general. Without feeling completely overwhelmed with hopelessness, I felt stuck at what I saw as a crossroads before me.

I cherish my dream with Irmo and Valinor as a gentle reminder that none of this will last forever.

Today, September 29th, is Michaelmas, also known as the Catholic Feast of the Archangels. Irmo and the rest of the Valar can arguably be seen as archangels sent by Eru (the God of Middle-earth) to protect and guide His children.

Just as Irmo gave me respite, I’ve had archangel dreams that have provided me with much-needed moments of sanctuary. Writing this blog post has given me the chance to reflect upon and appreciate the comfort I’ve received across the years, especially when feeling at my lowest.

Reading about Valinor and remembering the dream with Irmo calls to mind this Bible verse, one of my favorites:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Sailing Ahead

It’s now September ’24, and I feel much less uncertain about this crossroads. I’ve come out of a fairly rough patch, and now, I look at things with more curiosity than fear.

I’m in what I consider to be my “peak” years. I can genuinely say that this is the happiest I’ve been in my life thus far, and discovering my love for bird photography has been a huge factor of this joy. I also love my job, and I can see myself spending the rest of my life here.

My question for much of 2024 has been, what am I doing with the rest of my life? How far will I go with my photography? What does my current career path look like?

There are multiple possible answers to these questions, and they’re all exciting!

I remember a time of my life not too long ago when I was feeling hopeless and weary of the future. Now, even though I can’t possibly know what the future holds, I feel hopeful and eager to see what comes next.

There’s no better song to finish this post than “Into the West” by Annie Lennox.

Featured Image by Connor Brennan