Renowned author J. R. R. Tolkien, best known for his epic fantasy series "The Lord of the Rings," created a number of sage proverbs through his Middle-earth characters. One such saying discusses the difficulty and occasionally annoying aspects of asking people older or wiser than oneself for advice.

Elves are frequently regarded as creatures with great wisdom and a profound comprehension of life's mysteries in Tolkien's universe. People may discover, however, that elven advice can be perplexing and contradictory when they seek it out. This is due to the fact that the Elves, who have lived long lives and seen innumerable cycles of history, occasionally have an overpowering viewpoint that makes it challenging to provide simple responses.

Consider asking a wise old tree that has witnessed every season change in its lifetime for advice. Even though it has seen both harsh winters and lush summers, the tree may give you both affirmation and skepticism when you ask it for advice on which course to follow on your journey. It both validates your intuition and raises the possibility of hidden risks or complications.

This idea is reflected in Tolkien's depiction of Elves: they are wise and capable of seeing a wide range of possibilities, but their wisdom isn't always obvious or simple enough for people who aren't as familiar with the complexities of life. This Tolkien observation challenges readers to evaluate the advice they are given critically and to take into account how deeply held beliefs may affect any advice they may receive.

In the end, even though Elves are a wealth of knowledge in Middle-earth, their knowledge frequently has drawbacks. Similar to how a wise elder who has seen life from all sides may find it difficult to identify a single path forward for the younger generations, their capacity to see numerous outcomes can occasionally make it difficult for them to offer clear guidance.