The Silmarillion is a book full of deep pain and indescribable loss. It is a story about cataclysmic conflict, about war and death and destruction. It is a story about destructive relationships and severed bonds. It is a story about what fear and desperation can lead people to do. But, it remains a Tolkien story, and so it is also a story about hope. It is a story about looking for the light when everything goes dark. It is a story about determination and love that knows no bounds. A story about not giving up in the face dangerous quests and seemingly unconquerable odds. It is a story of finding allies in the most unlikely places. It is a Tolkien story, and that means that hope is never truly lost, because sometimes if you feel like you’ve lost yourself, it’s really just taking a detour to finding the truest version of you. Aurë entuluva, the day will come again, you just have to keep moving long enough to see the sunrise.