7 of The Most Inspirational Lines J.R.R. Tolkien Ever Wrote

J.R.R. Tolkien inspired millions of people around the globe with his epic fantasy series The Lord of the Rings and it’s prequel The Hobbit, spawning some of the most iconic movies ever made and a fandom that stretches across the globe.

Despite his masterpiece being set in the world of fantasy J.R.R. Tolkien used it to preach some valuable life lessons and inspire millions of people.

Here are seven of his most inspirational lines to brighten your day…

1. ‘Not all those who wander are lost.’—J.R.R. Tolkien

Sometimes it may feel like we’re wandering aimlessly through the dark but in those times remember it’s only a passing phase. Sometimes we all need to get a little lost, we all need to be a little faithless, and it will ultimately help us discover where and who we’re meant to be.

2. ‘Where there’s life there’s hope.’ – Samwise Gamgee

As long as we’re still breathing there’s always hope that things will get better. Don’t despair just because things aren’t going right for you right now – there’s always tomorrow.

3. ‘It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered, full of darkness and danger they were. Sometimes you didn’t want to know the end, because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when there’s so much bad that had happened? But in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow; even darkness must pass.’–Samwise Gamgee

Even on the darkest days, those days where there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, keep pushing forward. Remember that no story is over until you’ve reached the happy ending.

4.‘Even the smallest person can change the course of history.’–Lady Galadriel

If two hobbits can save all of Middle Earth then that should surely be inspiration enough to get you through the day. It need not matter your size or circumstances, if you believe you can do something then there’s no stopping you. A little self-belief can get you anywhere.

5. ‘If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.’–Thorin Oakenshield

Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of what matters, especially in our 21st century world, but if more of us thought like Thorin the world would surely be a happier place. This is a message we should all try to live by.

6. ‘All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.’ — Gandalf

It may seem like we have a million choices to make, a thousand paths before us, but in the end it all comes down to one. One choice. One path. One life. We ought to decide early on how we wish to live and from then on our every breath should push us towards our goal, each day should be an accomplishment and we should value our time.

7. ‘A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities.’ — J.R.R. Tolkien

And last but not least comes this gem of a quote, reminding us of the power of believing, hope, and of having a dream. No matter your circumstances, no matter what the world is like around you, if you have a dream and you believe in something better then there’s no holding you back. So long as you hold your dream tight then no one can take it from you. And, if at the end of your days you find you haven’t achieved your dream at least you’ll be able to look back and say you tried and you didn’t confine yourself within the constraints of society.