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One brief thought that occurs to me - Fredegar Bolger's decision to stay behind is told of matter-of-factly, with no condemnation for his decision. He misses out on the journey and its adventures, but he is not belittled for staying behind and doing what he is capable of doing there for his friends. That reminds me of Aragorn's generous dealings with those soldiers who are too afraid to go to the Black Gate with him - he gives them a task that is within their strength to accomplish and does not condemn them for their cowardice. Not everyone is able to tackle the same challenges, and there is no shame in admitting that some things are bigger than one can handle.
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'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth.. .'
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