not all those who wander are lost

in lord of the rings: the fellowship of the ring gandalf writes frodo a letter when he isn't able to meet them in bree. in it he includes a poem about aragorn:

all that is gold does not glitter,
not all those who wander are lost;
the old that is strong does not wither,
deep roots are not reached by the frost.
from the ashes a fire shall be woken,
a light from the shadows shall spring;
renewed shall be blade that was broken,
the crownless again shall be king.

since the first time i read lord of the rings in middle school, this has been one of my favorite lines, if not the favorite. it has helped me get through some rough times, and serves as a reminder that, no matter what path i take, there is still hope. and it's taught me that it's okay to live a lifestyle that may not be normal or conventional, that it's okay if you're still figuring shit out. it's about the journey to find who you really are and what works for you.

(i chose this spot on my arm because it is mostly hidden, and because it will give me more motivation to lose weight so i have beautiful skinny arms. haha)