What to do with the time that is given us

Facing Our Moment: Reflections on Tolkien's Wisdom

“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.”_ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Few lines in literature capture so beautifully the human condition. We don’t get to choose our moment in history. Not the wars, the pandemics, not the climate crises, or the social unrest. We are, each of us, born into a chapter of a story already unfolding with no regard of our preferences.

It’s normal – understandably so- to wish we were part of a gentler story. We long for a simpler past, for a narrative with fewer dragons. But nostalgia often deceives. Emotions, beliefs, and attitudes distort how we remember events. The Pollyanna Principle reminds us that we filter the past through the lens of what we want to remember. Every generation, if we look closely, has wrestled with darkness.

Gandalf doesn’t dismiss Frodo’s fear. He doesn't offer shallow comfort or escape. Instead, he recognises the feeling, but he also shifts the focus - —from what isn’t ours to control to what is. The time we’re given may be difficult, but our response to it is ours alone.

History doesn't ask our permission before unfolding. The Industrial Revolution didn't ask 18th-century farmers about their interest in societal transformation. World War II had profound impacts on millions of people who never imagined they’d be drawn into global conflict. And when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainians didn’t vote on whether it was their moment to face history. But their response, defined their story, and inspired the world.

What defines a generation is not the ease of its era, but the courage of its response. Marie Curie didn’t wait for sexism to fade or for gender equality to be realised to conduct groundbreaking research. Nelson Mandela transformed decades of imprisonment into a foundation for forgiveness and reconciliation. Zelenskyy’s refusal to abandon Kyiv became a symbol of resistance and bravery. None chose the events, but each chose their response.

This isn't mere stoicism. Tolkien does not tell us to passively accept whatever comes our way. It’s not an invitation to endure. It’s call to act. “What to do with the time that is given us,” that’s the essence of it. The emphasis is on the doing.

We are stewards of our moment. And, yes, it brings unprecedented challenges, but it also brings extraordinary tools. We have knowledge, technology, and connectivity unimaginable to previous generations. We can learn, speak, mobilise, and build at a pace no generation before us could dream of.

So perhaps the better question isn’t, “Why now?” but, “What now?”

And what does that mean in practice? It means turning lament into action. It means remembering that meaning often emerges from engaging with difficulty rather than avoiding it. It means understanding that future generations will judge us not by our wishes but by our choices.

So next time you feel like Frodo—overwhelmed, uncertain, afraid perhaps, wondering why this had to be your time - remember Gandalf’s quiet defiance. We don’t choose the times. Only how we react to them.