Thamas Lorn, 4th day of Rhiw
Musings…in the wake of a visit to Thamas Lorn by Amorith and Earinlin
With their wisdom of the earth, the Avari of Dorwinion work a wonder in the creation of their wines: my head is bathed yet in a pleasantly buoyant sensation as I sit in the gardens of Thamas Lorn.
I watch the sky turn from starry indigo to violet, to pink to yellow and finally pale blue, as Arien steers the luminous orb of Anor skyward. The Lhun - swollen by late Firith rains - hurries past in a steady, audible rush, bearing more than a few fallen boughs and branches with it as it spills seaward…
My mind is gently turning over a blend of thoughts...of memories, of worries and of high hopes. I see both the garden in dawn’s young light, yet also the sights of my life: of myriad places, of countless folk ...and I hear also the sound of unnumbered voices – all these I remember clearly, though most I have not seen or heard in many a long year.
Friends: they flow and ebb as the tide.
One moment, they surround us, the murmur and call of their voices enrobing us in the warmth of their fellowship; in the next, our companions have wandered abroad, or tarry elsewhere on some errand, and the music and comfort of their presence is but the barest whisper as we walk our path alone.
And yet, we may close our eyes and look within; there, in our hearts, we find that those we love and hold dear remain with us still – no matter how countless the leagues may be that lie between us. This bond between us is forged eternal; when shadows of uncertainty and despair threaten, one need only recall this touchstone. For friends are a wellspring of hope, and the memory of their amity offers succour and encouragement - even when we must stand alone against the odds.
