2. Yes, I think despair fullfill his mind and his hearth. He have looked into the Palantir linked with Sauron. And Sauron has shown him the worse perspective possible pushing Denethor out of his hearth, destroing his hope.

This passage remaind me a talk that I had with a dear friend that is a friar, about the fear that parents feel for their kids. We have a beloved daugther, 2 years and a half old, and sometimes, as many other parents I think, after reading and watching the news, I start mumbling on how many and terrible dangers are out there for my baby. Sometime, expecially few months ago, when I passed throught a painfull time, these dangers got the upper hand over my feelings, and sometime I found myself stuck within horrible images of my baby lost for some terrific desease, or kidnapped, or killed by a car along the road…

My friar told me that it is not safe to think these kind of things. A parent must be watchfull, being aware of all the risks and dangers around our kids, but he/she must not let these evil things take life in his/her hearth and mind and soul. After all, you can recognize it as an evil action of the Enemy, trying to destroy your defenses, to ruin the most important treasure that God gave us, that is hope.

I think that happened to Denethor; watching the palantir was like to open his hearth to the Enemy, letting he enter pain and despair.

Any other parents have experienced what I passed throught?

Love from your Rosie66