This week we read "Flight to the Ford." Frodo has been stabbed by a Black Rider and is fading in a number of ways. But today we're going to talk about somebody who, depsite all that's happening, is beginning to thrive.
In the last few days the poor beast had improved wonderfully... Bill Ferny's treatment must have been
very hard for the journey in the wild to seem so much better than its former life...
Bill Ferny's poor old pony was developing an unexpected talent for picking
out a path, and for sparing its riders as many jolts as possible
"Well what did they expect?"
"You are in medea res, friend! What are you talking about?"
"You are in medea res, friend! What are you talking about?"
"The pony has an unexpected talent. Which talent did they expect?"
"I think they expected none."
"Why would they set the bar so low?"
"Because he was coming Bill Ferny was not a good owner. Strider worried he may not be in good health."
"So? Anyone can be talented."
"Well, also recall they are running for their lives. They weren't think-"
"All the more reason to hope for talented companions!"
"All the more perilous to depend on hope."
"As we have seen, we must hope at all times."
"Realistically, they expected the pony to help carry the baggage. Anything else is a bonus."
"So we expect less from the disadvantaged?"
"Let's take that seriously for a moment - because we do it all the time. Let's remove it from disadvantaged populations and move it to specific people. If someone struggles to get out of bed, when they arrive at Thanksgiving people will be hesitant to tell them their tie is crooked and shirt is stained. They are glad they are there and criticism will only discourage them."
"And perhaps they'll leave."
"Lower expectations let that person enjoy an achievment according to their capacities."
"Lower expectations tell others if you do less, eventually, that will be OK."
"But others also see this person to struggle to get out of bed - and they will not envy that price."
"What if some do?"
"Meh - ethics are the art of making the harder choice, as we say. We can't speak for those who purposefully choose what is easy."
"Is it easy to not get out of bed?"
"That's not what I meant and you know it. It is easy to see someone get an advantage and say "I want that, too." Let's move on. Bill Ferny's pony has a talent. It is unexpected. We've been assuming Frodo and friends didn't expect it. What if the pony didn't?"
"The pony?"
"Bill has spent so long held down by Bill Ferny he hasn't been able to reach his potential. Whatever Bill's treatment of his pony may have been we can assume he used the pony only for his own advantage."
"So do our heroes."
"Out in the wild he is given a greater degree of autonomy. He must remain with them, but in return he is fed and cared for. And as he remains with them they discover - as does the pony himself - this talent. He is not instructed 'put this hoof there, now this hoof there,' but rather given a goal and freedom to achieve it. In this way he can find his talent."
"Even though they doubted he'd be much help at all beyond baggage."
"We could say he doubted he'd be much help. But now instead of along for the ride he is an active contributor to the party. And it is always better to contribute than to only exist. Contribution gives one purpose and energy, and a drive to find out what other unexpected skills they might have. We must always push someone to go beyond. And if something inhibits their autonomy - be it Bill Ferny or a health problem - it is incumbent upon us to free them from those things. Without those barriers they may well thrive on their own - they won't need a push when they aren't being pulled back. And while an antagonist can hold them back, just as easily can friends by not expecting much."
"When we come across an unexpected talent of a friend, or within us, we should not marvel at its reveal, but rather wonder at all the other boons that lay hidden within, waiting for an opportunity to shine."
"I think they expected none."
"Why would they set the bar so low?"
"Because he was coming Bill Ferny was not a good owner. Strider worried he may not be in good health."
"So? Anyone can be talented."
"Well, also recall they are running for their lives. They weren't think-"
"All the more reason to hope for talented companions!"
"All the more perilous to depend on hope."
"As we have seen, we must hope at all times."
"Realistically, they expected the pony to help carry the baggage. Anything else is a bonus."
"So we expect less from the disadvantaged?"
"Let's take that seriously for a moment - because we do it all the time. Let's remove it from disadvantaged populations and move it to specific people. If someone struggles to get out of bed, when they arrive at Thanksgiving people will be hesitant to tell them their tie is crooked and shirt is stained. They are glad they are there and criticism will only discourage them."
"And perhaps they'll leave."
"Lower expectations let that person enjoy an achievment according to their capacities."
"Lower expectations tell others if you do less, eventually, that will be OK."
"But others also see this person to struggle to get out of bed - and they will not envy that price."
"What if some do?"
"Meh - ethics are the art of making the harder choice, as we say. We can't speak for those who purposefully choose what is easy."
"Is it easy to not get out of bed?"
"That's not what I meant and you know it. It is easy to see someone get an advantage and say "I want that, too." Let's move on. Bill Ferny's pony has a talent. It is unexpected. We've been assuming Frodo and friends didn't expect it. What if the pony didn't?"
"The pony?"
"Bill has spent so long held down by Bill Ferny he hasn't been able to reach his potential. Whatever Bill's treatment of his pony may have been we can assume he used the pony only for his own advantage."
"So do our heroes."
"Out in the wild he is given a greater degree of autonomy. He must remain with them, but in return he is fed and cared for. And as he remains with them they discover - as does the pony himself - this talent. He is not instructed 'put this hoof there, now this hoof there,' but rather given a goal and freedom to achieve it. In this way he can find his talent."
"Even though they doubted he'd be much help at all beyond baggage."
"We could say he doubted he'd be much help. But now instead of along for the ride he is an active contributor to the party. And it is always better to contribute than to only exist. Contribution gives one purpose and energy, and a drive to find out what other unexpected skills they might have. We must always push someone to go beyond. And if something inhibits their autonomy - be it Bill Ferny or a health problem - it is incumbent upon us to free them from those things. Without those barriers they may well thrive on their own - they won't need a push when they aren't being pulled back. And while an antagonist can hold them back, just as easily can friends by not expecting much."
"When we come across an unexpected talent of a friend, or within us, we should not marvel at its reveal, but rather wonder at all the other boons that lay hidden within, waiting for an opportunity to shine."
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