Mímisbrunnr

Far beneath, in the unseen world, lay the roots of Yggdrasil. Here, beneath one of the roots, where the great yawning void once existed, lies Mímisbrunnr - the well of wisdom. Ever it shines forth from the darkness, from which all things came. The master of this well is called Mimir, and he drinks from the well of wisdom every day. It is said that Odin once requested a single drink from Mimir's well; But Mimir refuses, unless Odin is willing to sacrifice his eye. Odin agrees to Mimir's terms, and Mimir grants him the single drink. The mead within Mimisbrunnr is capable of granting wisdom and intellect of immeasurable proportions. But Odin's thirst for knowledge and wisdom was not one of personal gain. He sought this knowledge in an attempt to prevent the destruction of the world he helped shape. As he drank from the well, he saw the coming sorrows of men and gods alike. And though he had come in hopes of finding a way of stopping the destruction of all things, he instead saw why all things must fall. He saw how these things would be dealt with in a noble manner. He saw a promise that should the gods and men meet their end with bravery and honor, that one day in the distant future, men and gods would once again meet the darkness....but this time, they would prevail.

Wisdom and power rarely give us the answers we originally thought we would receive. But with the right amount of unwavering will and willingness to give of oneself, wisdom will always lead us through destruction and into grace. Do I believe in the ending of the world? In many ways, the world ends and begins again each day and night. It ends just before the Winter Solstice, and begins again on the day of the celestial event. One moment, we are standing in the Sun's light. The next moment, we are plunged into darkness. The point being that night follows day, and day follows night...and we tend to think nothing of it. We meet these processes without fear. As such, should the end of all things come one day, we should meet it the same way we greet the black skies of night - with honor and wonder. For one day, all things will be new again, and light will fill the world once more.

If I don't write here again before the solstice, Happy Yule everyone! The days will soon grow longer! Stay warm and safe!