Slow Havamal: 119

In verse 119, Odin counsels Loddfafnir that if he has a trustworthy friend, to visit him often, because weeds and tall grasses grow on an untraveled path.

What we believe we have must not be taken for granted. It isn’t a permanent thing, nor is it static. There might be some relationships that can be renewed with joy after falling dormant for many years, but that’s not something any of us should count on.

Odin says to visit our friends often. A friend is not a thing like a plow or a house. We may think of our friend as a noun, but if so, they are a person unto themselves. “Friend” is merely a role they play in our lives. What we’re discussing is actually a relationship. What is a relationship if not a system of ways in which we interact? Therefore, it requires acts of renewal. Those behaviors that friends do to earn the name must be repeated with some frequency. ( Read more... )