Transitions – War, Myths and Friendship

Columnists Latest news Service Transitions – War, Myths and Friendship By Barbara Blomquist - Sunday, November 8, 2026 Facebook X Linkedin Email Print On November 11, we’ll again celebrate Veterans Day, commemorating the armistice that ended the Great War when a peace treaty was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month of 1918. About a decade ago, an article in American Legion Magazine discussed the friendship of two great men of letters who endured that war as soldiers. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were injured in body and wounded in soul so severely that Tolkien’s children would say he had a lifelong sadness. Today we know that sadness is a form of PTSD, but was thrust aside back then. Veterans just bucked up and lived their lives. It was decades after WWII that my husband discovered his father suffered depression because of his severe combat wound. Instead of being bogged down by their traumatic experiences, Lewis and Tolkien eventually wrote profound literature that remains popular today and has found new expression in films. Lewis’ “Tales of Narnia” and Tolkien’s “Lord of The Rings” and “The Hobbit” are each very different in their readership, but friendship is central in both— a “friendship that is born of adversity.” Whereas many war-themed novels paint a gloomy picture, they “clothed their stories in myth because they believe (d)… It was a powerful way to communicate truths about the human condition.” And many of them portray the deep sacrificial friendships of comrades-in-arms. Both men believed in overcoming the horrors of war by focusing on friendship. And their strong Christian beliefs influenced their lives. In fact, it was Tolkien, a creator of orcs, elves and wizards, who led Lewis to a new and philosophical understanding of his Christian faith. So when we honor our Veterans, let’s remember their physical and emotional wounds, their friends lost in combat, their endurance, their healing and their postwar contributions to our society. Transitions – Veterans Still at War Facebook X Linkedin Email Print - Advertisement - Barbara Blomquist Barbara Blomquist is a Naperville resident, wife, mother, quilter, and screenwriter. Contact her at [email protected]. RELATED ARTICLES Columnists Lizzy’s Fund: How Full Is Your Cup? Columnists Grateful for Naperville Columnists WDSRA – The Lessons Learned Columnists KidsMatter 2 Us – Helping Teens Find Purpose and Connection Latest news Is Your Furnace Ready for Another Winter? Columnists The Way I See It – Veterans Never Forget Columnists 00:01:14 Movies With Tarek – ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Columnists Visit Naperville – Make a Night of It City News Naperville Last Week in Review: Nov. 1–7, 2026 City News City of Naperville Announces New Director of Finance Columnists November Editor’s Notes Columnists Veterans in Touch – An Ode to Veterans Latest news Things To Do in Naperville This Weekend: Nov. 6–8 Culture /Arts Naperville Takes Its Place on the Monopoly Board / Reveal is Set for Nov. 12 at DCM Culture /Arts Community Holiday Luncheon is set for Dec. 24, 2026, at Chicago Marriott in Naperville LATEST NEWS Columnists Lizzy’s Fund: How Full Is Your Cup? Lizzy Talk - Sunday, November 8, 2026 Columnists Grateful for Naperville Sue Jelinek - Sunday, November 8, 2026