Invited to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Struggle with Old Age

Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. (Isaiah 46:4)

I’ve been forced to face life’s fragility. In high school, one of my favorite bands was Fleetwood Mac, and my favorite television show was Cheers. This week, the keyboard player for Fleetwood Mac, Christine McVie, died. A day or two later, Cheers star Kirstie Alley dies. When people you only remember as young die in old age, it challenges your understanding of mortality. Where does that leave me if the wealthy, talented, and famous cannot stave off death?

J.R.R. Tolkien was a prolific writer, even while teaching a full load at the University. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were just a small portion of his overall catalog. Tolkien was also a poet. As Tolkien aged, he struggled with his losses and struggle with pessimism. Yet, throughout his writing, Tolkien strove to find hope amid the seemingly hopeless. One of the most profound of his writings about old age is “All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter.”

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

Even when we no longer glitter with adolescent beauty and our gait is not as straight, a meaningful strength remains. When we develop deep roots, the frost of bodily deterioration will not overwhelm us. Instead, the light of God’s care will sustain us, and the king of the universe was rightfully crowned. What is significant about us isn’t how strong and beautiful we are or how fast we move. The wisdom and faith of deep roots will sustain us and keep us relevant in a world that does not value experience. Trust God to give us the strength to make a difference in the time remaining.