The Barrow

In light of the dark events engulfing the world, I wanted to share some ancient wisdom, starting with one of my favorite maxims from all of Old English poetry:

Wyrd biđ ful aræd.

I generally translate this as “fate is already written,” but there are more layers to it. It also means Fate (Weird) is also fully inescapable. We are woven into it. What comes will come, whether we like it or not.

The Supreme Lord said: While you speak words of wisdom, you are mourning for that which is not worthy of grief. The wise lament neither for the living nor for the dead.

This, from chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita, is another in which I find great comfort.(really all of the Gita, especially the first two chapters)

Lastly, one more accessible to modernites:

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”