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A Time to Dance, A Time to Mourn  by Elemmírë 3 Review(s)
LarnerReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/12/2006
Yes, the true coming of age--when one knows the responsibility for another who needs caring. And it was a tragic way to find himself with that responsibility to hand.

And love wee Frodo's response to the kiss.

Author Reply: Exactly. Everyone comes of age in a different way, given the situations of their life ... and the true meaning of coming of age is not necessarily due to the celebration of the birthday, where one is instantly considered an adult by society.

LOL! Wee Frodo's quite the cutie, isn't he. No wonder his cousins love him so. :D

Thank you as always, Larner, for reading and reviewing.

~Elemmírë~

Queen GaladrielReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/11/2006
Oh wow. The party at the beginning was so pleasant, and the picnic the next day...

"So, our impishly cute little troll of a cousin can sit still after all," Mac remarked.

*giggles*

All too soon, the couple was caught off guard by a child’s voice yelling in their ears, "Fwo find Sawa, Mac! ... Eww, they kissing!"

LOL! Leave it to Frodo! LOL!

"When we’re married and have children Saradoc, I’ve got the mind to sew little bells* into their clothing so we can always hear them!" Esmeralda huffed,
her Tookish lilt becoming quite pronounced so that it was almost impossible to decipher.

I love this touch.

Sara continued to hold Frodo, even when the child lay limp once more. Looking down onto the features of his youngest cousin’s pale, finely-boned face, Sara
suddenly felt much older than his forty years. As he sat with his wife holding the dear child close, he wondered if perhaps this was his true Coming of
Age.

That last paragraph really gets to the heart of the matter. I spent this summer in a world where I was treated like an adult. The adults who were there didn't watch their conversation or their language; it didn't matter that some of the younger students were only thirteen and fourteen, and at least a couple of them were more vulnerable than they let on. I would have been horrified at their age, and even so I was shocked sometimes. These men and women (some of them anyway) didn't take anything seriously. Life was about having a good time. "Eat and drink and be merry, for we may die tomorrow" seemed to be their motto. And sometimes I'd listen to their off-colour jokes and their continuous cursing and rash swearing and wonder when they'd learn that life has to be taken seriously in order to keep living it. People say I take things too seriously for a sixteen-year-old girl, but better to take things seriously to begin with; then one will be more prepared later.

Still, it's sad to see Hobbits have such an awakening, especially a child and such a gentle one as Frodo. Beautiful and poignant.
God bless,
Galadriel

Author Reply: Thank you, Queen Galadriel. I'm very glad you enjoyed.

I borrowed the idea of the bells from Grey Wonderer. After all, Esmeralda had to get the idea for Pippin's bells from somwehere! LOL!


I agree, it's very sad for the hobbits (most especially Frodo) to have to endure such a rude awakening. It certainly cannot be an easy thing to cope with for a child of his age.

I knew you were in your teens, but I thought you sounded older than sixteen ... more like eighteen or nineteen. Your reviews and overall writing are both very mature for your age, as was mine when I was sixteen.

I myself am only twenty-eight, but due to my job and some things that have happened within the past few years in my life, I've seen and heard many things that most people will never have to see or experience in their lifetime. So to me, you don't sound too overly serious at all. Being serious is okay, but I've learned that one must also be able to sit back and be able to laugh at life too once in a while. I know what you mean about people and the things they do or say, because I see and hear it everyday at the hospital, in the community, in the nearby city, or even on tv ... and it simply amazes me sometimes.

But then, I see and hear such wonderful things too, like the outpouring of money and help to the victims of Katrina and the 2004 tsunami. Or someone who was into drugs, a metal-head, and bordering on Satanic worship suddenly find God one day and now reads only the Bible and attends a worship service regularly.

I've found that just when you think people have reached an all-time low and you wonder where has all the love gone, something happens to change your opinion.

To quote Gandalf,

All you have to do is decide what to do with the Time that is given to you"

or Sam ...

... that there's some good left in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it's worth fighting for."

So, don't worry if others think you to be too serious, Queen Galadriel. Just remember that there will always be those who never take anything in their life seriously utnil it is too late.

And, there must have been some reason in God's plan for you to have been exposed to such during the summer. Perhaps, your influence was given to change one of their behavior or something. You never now.

May God shine His Light upon you.

~Elemmírë~

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 1 on 10/11/2006
Yes, I love GW's bells too! *Adds own grin and wave* This is so gentle and sad Elemmire.

Author Reply: Hi Harrowcat!

I just had to add a comment about those bells. After all, Esmeralda had to get the idea from somewhere. LOL!! I just hope that GW doesn't mind.

I'm glad you liked this, Harrowcat, as have many others so far. I, myself, was a bit unsure of some things at first as I'd written parts of it rather hastily--and some of it during my recent travels--but I'm very happy to see that everyone who's read/reviewed has had nothing but positive feedback. Thank you so much!!

~Elemmírë~

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