the unending search for knowledge.

I read. I read a lot. And I wondered if in the afterworlds all my questions about the Norse Lore, the Níuverse, and everything else would be answered.† And I realized that doesn't happen.

The Gods don't know everything. Odin still looks for all the things he doesn't know. And if Odin himself doesn't know then that means the Níuheimar's probably an evolving exponential mystery beyond its Æsir creators. Yggdrasil grows, it gnarls, it spreads, it bears & dies in parts, constantly.

While I think I will have access to so much more amazing storehoused knowledge in the afterworlds, there will still be more in that next level to learn, travel to, have adventure, and explore. There will be people from throughout time at the tables of the ancestors to ask questions of, the books of Bragi's Hall with their stories & songs, Valkyries who've witnessed thousands of glorious & horrific battles, dwarves who may begrudgingly barter their skillsets, álfar that could show us their more effective eldar ways, and more.

But like here on Midgard, there's always more knowledge. This reflects the human condition when you age and realize the more you learn the less you know, how things are at best educated guesses, and the change & evolution of your physical & social surroundings will always outstrip you in the race of time. This doesn't make the search for knowledge meaningless or defeatist -- it makes it more precious, imperative, and meaningful. You only have so much time to find the answers that are relevant to you, whether that's before fate takes you, or before a Ragnarök unfolds (and perhaps we can even solve those if we look hard enough). Go seek them.

[Odin on his lappy using a runesteinn-fi network.]

†: This thinking is possibly leftover Catholic baggage from the idea of a Cartesian omniscient deity (an idea which in itself is hard to defend, as one finds out in their Honors Philosophy class). And while Odin can sit in Hliðskjálf and garner daily reports from the ravens, he never reaches a state where he knows everything, but he certainly knows much more than anyone else.

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Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants at age seven. Since then he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the Map of Midgard project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay. If you have employment/opportunities in investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer, do contact him.