It was a light amidst all the darkness. Some brightness in the night. The chance meeting with a fair lady as Eowyn was beyond his greatest desire in this time of unspeakable grief he had experienced. He had no plans to fall in love but the few days in the Houses of Healing, waiting, anticipating, dreading the news from the battle had made Faramir feel like he had to cherish what was given to him despite the trials and tragedies from the war. There was a lot that he had discerned from the White Lady of Rohan to make him fall in love so fast and unexpectedly. They have much in common.

He had a feeling that his father would not last in the war and when his uncle broke the news to him before he headed out the Black Gate he had felt numb. He had also felt hollow. He did not know how many of his fellow Rangers had fallen in the attempt to retake Osgiliath but he knew it was most and he wept in the Houses of Healing for losing so many that he loved. He dreamt of his brother often. The ache would not abate. 

Only when there was news of the King and success of the Quest could he gradually attempt to conduct the tasks at hand to get the city ready for the Return of the King. Keeping himself busy helped him bury his grief. There was a city to get in order after all. He could not allow himself to fall deeper in despair.

Keeping the hope for better times for Gondor. For isn’t what he relied on the past year? These things drove him to put away his grief for the moment to try to do what was necessary for Gondor.