I’m watching Two Towers with the Geeky Kids. We’ve all seen it before–twice maybe. We’re all enthralled with these movies. We’re planning to read the books as well. When I was younger, I was enthralled by King Arthur. I read every version of the tales I could. My first R-rated movie was Excaliber when I was 12. What is it about these fantasy tales that captures our imaginations so? When I watch the movie again, I see so many parallels to the big questions of our time. What is worth fighting for? When do you join the fight? What is it that we all have in common that binds us together? How do you ward off evil? What is evil? Is it that the time and place is far enough away that we can begin to contemplate these questions? Or am I the only one who sees these questions in the movie? Does everyone else simply see a story, a fantasy?

Just now as the movie comes to an end and Frodo threatens Sam with his sword, my kids hold each other’s hands. “There’s some good in this world and it’s worth fighting for.”