What does Not all those who wander are lost mean?

Answer 1

Just because someone may not seem to have direction or a goal, doesn't mean that they're lost. Some souls need to explore & satisfy their curiosities. For them the value is in the journey, not the destination.

Answer 2

It says what it says : wandering may be seen as having no purpose or direction but it doesn’t mean that what you see is what it seems. There is a purpose and a motivation for wandering : to know, understand, find a way through something, find a solution, find your way. It cannot be done with the exast destination in mind.

But you always end up somewhere and the journey is worth it. That is why you wander and look like being lost : to finally stop being lost and stucked at point A. Wandering is a journey to the unknown that will eventually bring you to point B, but you don’t know what this B point is. You enjoy the ride and maybe you will find on your wandering path that you don’t really care about reaching B anymore…

I have built a blog/ebook project around this poem line, it’s evolving slowly to offer interpretations. Feel free to comment, i will make the text evolve before publishing my ebook : http://notallwhowanderarelost.org/not-all-who-wander-are-lost-meaning/

Answer 3

In Lord of the Rings, there was a poem or maybe a prophesy would be a better word. It went:

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.

The verse was talking about Aragon, who was the rightful King but in his youth chose another path -- one of relative obscurity. So he is the "gold" that does not glitter or show off. He wandered in the wilderness of Middle Earth but was not lost even though in Gondar and in the tales of Men, everyone thought that the line of Kings was ended.

You should read the tale or watch the movie. It will put everything in perspective.

Answer 4

it's basically saying don't make quick judgement based on appearances and assumptions.

Some people who wander are not lost - ie they know where they are going both physically and spiritually.

Aragorn wandered for much of his life in order to understand the world and become the hero he was destined to be. He was basically preparing himself for the right time.

Answer 5

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RE:
What does Not all those who wander are lost mean?

Answer 6

It's a line from a JRR Tolkien poem, I believe found in The Hobbit : "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. .."

It means that not everything is as as it seems: something very valuable may not glitter like gold, or have the appearance of worth; someone who appears to be "wandering" through life may actually be more directed and less spiritually lost than someone securely tethered to a family, career, or community.

Answer 7

No no no, it means that just because you're wandering aimlessly, or seemingly so, you could very well be headed towards your destined path and the best thing(s) in your life. It could also mean that you have a lot of gas.

Answer 8

It basically means that they are choosing to wander. Wandering being a metaphor for seeking other paths, ideas, lifestyles, etc.

Answer 9

It means that just because someone isn't doing what you think they should be doing, it doesn't mean that you should be telling them what to do, or something like that.
Don't make assumptions about people based on what they don't do.

Answer 10

It basically means that even though I might look like I'm just drifting aimlessly, it doesn't mean that I don't know where I'm going.