I vaguely remember the time when I was imagining what it would be like once I have been on the 'Downs for ten years. Back then, even the oldest members were not that old.
But here it is. It's been ten years. And the 'Downs, and you Downers, have had such a significant impact on my life, that... probably half of you don't know half as much how much, and more than half of you will never even know. I at least hope I have been able to return the favour in some way.
If I may be allowed to recount a bit of that ancient history, I believe I haven't mentioned to very many of you how exactly did I end up here. The undisputable fact is, that I am here I owe to the Holy Spirit. That is an absolute claim I can make with certainty.
Here is how it went: About a month before my actual Death, I had heard somewhere about the idea that the "Flame of Anor" (mentioned by Gandalf in The Bridge of Khazad-Dûm) was supposed to be a reference to the Holy Spirit. I thought it to be a fairly daring claim, which could probably be successfully defended, nonetheless obviously not something that would be the primal intention of the author.
However, out of curiosity, I googled something along the lines of "Flame of Anor - Holy Spirit". The first thing that came up was the 'Downs. I started reading a thread, then another. The interesting thing is I didn't register at that point. Only much later, when I had a different question of my own, I started thinking whom to ask - and remembered the Barrow-Downs. That question became my very first post, already showing some of my signature traits - namely, it was fairly long, and I got several reps for it in that sense (but positive). You would be able to look it up fairly easily, I believe, it was the very first thread I ever started and it concerned my favourite character, Saruman.
Ten years later, here I am. And the small act of joining the Barrow-Downs that long time ago has influenced my life in such a profound way that, if I should leave here some memento for future generations of 'Downers, it would be this:
Quote:
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"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, making a post. You thank for a rep, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to."
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