A Gem from Colbert and Other Thoughts

"Gandalf is a Maiar who has been in Arda since Iluvatar cried ‘Ea,’ so he knows it all. The cool thing about Gandalf is in Valinor, he was named Olorin, and he was one of the Maiar associated with the Valar, who are upper angels you might say, the archangels or demi-gods, named Nienna. Most of the Valar in The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion are associated in some way with a power or a focus or a patronage associated with Greek gods … Nienna, there’s no association in any other mythology. Because what does she do forever? What is her power? Does anyone know? Nienna weeps forever, and turns grief into wisdom. That is her power. And Gandalf, who was Olorin at the time, that’s his patron, that’s who he hangs out with. That’s why he’s not interested in power or glory when he comes to Middle-Earth, like Saruman. Saruman was a Maiar of the Valar Aule, who was the craftsman. So that makes sense, right?" - Stephen Colbert on The Late Show.

A few days ago (I believe I was on vacation) the above gem came across my facebook feed. It reminded me of the Vala Nienna mostly. Now, Nienna is not often mentioned throughout the book, but when she is, she's the one suing for pity, compassion, and empathy. 

It's that compassion that Gandalf learns from her. And boy, we should listen. Colbert makes an awesome point - Nienna doesn't have a power that we'd easily identify with other mythical gods. We don't identify compassion and empathy with power. But what if Nienna's power in fact is spent in empathy and compassion on behalf of others? In this way, she's the polar opposite of Melkor/Morgoth, who spends his power to control everything, and is without pity.

And I think, that every day, we have a choice as to how we spend what power and influence we have: to spend it coercively, or to spend it with compassion.