Stanza 41 is essentially a direct follow-up to 39’s message, which emphasises the crucial role that reciprocity plays across all forms of interpersonal relationships. Stanza 41 specifically touches on this notion of giving and receiving, pointing out both physical gifts [clothing, weapons, etc.] alongside acts of service, such as lending an empathetic ear and giving counsel when necessary.

I think it’s very important to keep the concept of reciprocity in mind for all of your relationships with others. Take the time to reflect on how you treat those around you in relation to how they treat you. Is your partner doing considerably more in the relationship? Is your friend visiting you more than you visit them?

Taking the time to reflect on these things can make you realise just how much you might be taking those around you for granted, or how much they’re taking you for granted. An imbalance of reciprocity typically leads to resentment in one form or another, which over time sees the relationship slowly break down and wither away.

Where stanza 41 points out the reality of how the rule of reciprocity determines the long-term success of your relationships, stanza 42 is a direct call to action to treat those as they treat you. Quite simply, we’re advised to repay kind actions with kind actions of our own, and treacherous acts in retaliation with our own.

Personally, I’d argue for the former and against the latter. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘an eye for an eye,’ and it certainly applies here. If someone has consistently shown that they’re willing to act in a disloyal, dishonest, or disingenuous way towards you, I would advise you just walk away from them.

Of course, context is key here, don’t leave your spouse because they watched a TV show without you. If they cheated though? I'd personally show them the door.

Stanza 43 covers the importance of loyalty and the power that it holds over long-term friendships. The advice is simple, treat your friends well, and treat their friends with the same dignity. At the same time, don’t make friends with those whom your own friends would consider enemies.

The consequence of befriending the enemies of your friends is obvious, you stand to lose your friends through the perception that you aren’t as loyal to them as they may have thought you were. Spending time with the enemies of your friends is only going to foster doubt in the value that your relationship holds, alongside the status of your loyalty to them.

Stanza 44 offers us three practical ways in which we can nurture the long-term success of our friendships: Speak truthfully with them, make the effort to visit often and exchange gifts when you do. 

I think something as simple as a bottle of alcohol or some baked goods make for perfect visiting gifts, and visiting regularly shows your friends how much they mean to you. Visiting often in particular shows them that though your time may be limited, it's worth spending in their company. 

What interests me most about this stanza is the idea of speaking true amongst your good friends. Being able to speak your mind openly is a good sign of a true friendship, as is being comfortable to challenge and disagree without the worry of a negative or explosive reaction. 

Stanza 45 offers an interesting insight into Odin’s character, as he essentially advises us to keep those that we mistrust around if they can be of some use to us. His advice is very manipulative, in that you should fake flattery and lie in order to make use of them. 

On the one hand, I can see how this would be useful. If they have consistently shown you nothing but dishonesty and disloyalty, then maybe they’re deserving of such treachery. At the same time, it might better serve you to cut off the friendship and focus your time and energy on those friends who you can benefit from, but also trust at the same time. 

I guess context and discernment are important when making such a judgment. 

As a direct continuation of stanza 45, Stanza 46 offers a practical take on how to handle this mistrusted ‘friend.’ My interpretation of this is that you should cautiously speak and laugh with him, but remain vigilant to his actions and intentions. At the end of the day, you are walking a fine line by keeping this person around and faking a friendship with them just for your own benefit.

The ‘repay what he gives you,’ line is about an eye on his actions, repaying kindness with kindness to keep up appearances, and treachery with treachery should he step out of line.’

Stanza 47 speaks to the importance of creating and nurturing positive friendships and relationships. The concept of loneliness is something covered in more detail in later stanzas, but it’s touched on here. We’re told that as humans, we find joy in the connections that we make as we journey through life. 

We’re naturally social creatures, so this is as important as it is true. The network that you build throughout your journey will absolutely have a profound impact on your quality of life. 

If you surround yourself with close friends whom you can trust and laugh with, you’ll find more happiness and meaning in life. If you surround yourself with deceitful, manipulative, and untrustworthy people, you’re sure to experience a life of backstabbing and misery.

The idea of forgiveness and letting go is a timeless wisdom that has been explored over and over in a variety of different mediums. It’s not at all surprising that Odin’s poem of wisdom would cover this interesting topic. Teaching yourself to let go of the injustices done to you and not hold your grudges is an invaluable skill. It also tends to be one of those wisdom gained through time, experiences, and age.

Holding grudges against people can lead to overthinking, sleepless nights, excessive worrying, and anxiety, all of which will cloud your judgment and impair your progress, both in the short term and potentially the long term too. Such a level of forgiveness also requires a large amount of empathy and understanding. Empathy is a fantastic quality that all should look to nurture within themselves.

Following on from the theme of forgiveness discussed in stanza 48, Stanza 49 reveals the profound effect that forgiveness and kindness can have on a person. We’re introduced to this concept through the metaphor of two lifeless scarecrows being gifted the clothes from Odin’s back. This simple action made these once lifeless husks feel human.

This metaphor is used to emphasise the naked man [The man who has nothing], is one who feels ashamed of himself, and the simplest act of kindness can reinvigorate this lost soul. I think it’s a beautifully poetic message and one that speaks volumes about how our lives can be shaped by the kindness of others.

The message of stanza 50 is very simple, yet unbelievably true. Without love, the human spirit will wilt away. This concept is told to us through the visual metaphor of a tree, wilting away without its bark and needles. Whenever I read this stanza, I think of the Hollows from the Dark Souls franchise. 

For those who haven’t played those games, the Hollows are almost zombie-like husks of what were once humans, wilted away through a lack of purpose in a dying and decrepit world. I imagine this is how life must feel for those who have no one to love or care for, and vice versa. 

As I touched on in a previous stanza, we’re incredibly social creatures, dependent on enriching social engagements to give our lives purpose and meaning. My advice for this stanza is to hold those that you care about near and deer. Message your friends and call your family members, especially your elders who might not see you as often. They need social enrichment more than you would imagine.

Coming off of the back of the three stanzas of love and forgiveness, stanza 51 deals with the concept of a true, authentic, and long-lasting friendship. We’re told very clearly that the best kind of friendship is one upheld by sincerity and depth, and we’ve learned through past stanzas that this sincerity and depth is defined by a variety of factors: 

These are an equilibrium of reciprocal actions between both friends, open and honest communication with the ability to challenge and disagree with each other, and frequent visits. 

The idea of a false friendship burning bright for 5 days is interesting, as someone could initially seem like the type to make a great friend. With some time, however, you might learn the nature of their character, and thus form a different opinion.

Stanza 52 speaks to the impact that small acts of kindness can have on forging long-lasting friendships. Odin tells us that something as simple as a bowl of soup or half of a loaf of bread can be enough to win someone's favour. 

I would expand on this by pointing out that something even simpler, such as a common interest or a good joke can be the start of a fruitful and long-term friendship. I met my closest friend Jordan because we just so happened to be sat next to each other for our ICT class in college and we’re both die-hard fans of Metal Gear Solid. 

This was more than enough to start a 10-year friendship. He met our close friend Crayon on a game called For Honor, simply by chance that in this 1v1 fighting game, neither gave up when they lost. This led to a voice chat invite, which in turn led to us all playing together and 4 years down the line we speak to each other every day, meet up once or twice a year and we’ve been on holiday twice. 

The point I’m making here is that something so simple as a kind word, gesture, or common interest can be the start of a lifelong friendship.

The message of Stanza 53 is a very straightforward and comforting insight regarding the reality behind the intelligence of humanity. What Odin tells us here is that the average person carries only an average level of intelligence. This should come as no surprise of course. 

This is followed up with the idea that the wise among us are those who are actively aware at just how little they know in the grand scheme of things. This level of self-awareness is an indicator of humility and implies that the unwise among us are those who believe that they know more than they do, a clear indicator of an inflated ego and a lack of humility. 

My advice is to realise that in the grand scheme of things, most of us know very little, and that’s fine. Nobody can know everything, so in your very limited lifespan of ~80 years, it’s important that we think about what knowledge and skills we’d like to gain. For example, I’ll never be a great astrophysicist in my life, but I will be very knowledgeable on the topic of Norse mythology.

Stanza 54 continues with this idea that the average person is only moderately wise, and how that’s absolutely fine. It's also just a simple law of nature. Where stanza 54 builds on this by reinforcing the idea that no one needs to have infinite wisdom, and the pursuit of such will not result in a happy life. 

Ironically this is spoken by Odin, a God who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of infinite wisdom. Odin seems to think that by acquiring more wisdom, he will find a way to avoid his fated death at Ragnarok. Odin will be devoured by Fenrir, and a million years of learning coupled with a billion soldiers in his private army will never change that outcome. His fate is sealed. 

My advice for this stanza is that moderate is enough. I’ve noticed recently just how frustrated I’ve been getting with social media, and everybody telling you that you need more. You need to consume more, you need to make more money, etc. It’s brain rot and incredibly damaging to those of us who live normal lives and earn a normal amount of money. 

No, you don’t need to start dropshipping or remote closing for $20,000 a month, which is probably bullshit anyway. What you do need is purpose, and you should work toward a life that gives you genuine meaning and fulfillment. 

I’m by no means rich from Einarr’s Journey, but I wake up every day knowing that I can have a positive impact on people's lives while building something I’m deeply passionate about. This is more than enough for me, and I think you should ignore these ‘influencers’ and their bullshit, and focus solely on finding meaning through your work and your actions.

Continuing with the idea that no one needs infinite wisdom, stanza 55 emphasises the very clear message that the constant search for more knowledge will only lead you down a path of sadness and burden. 

I find it interesting that this is coming from Odin, as he knows this all too well. Odin has made many great sacrifices in his quest for more wisdom, and this has certainly placed a burden on him that no other being could comprehend. 

The same applies to us. It’s important to become wise and knowledgeable, especially in relation to your work and passions. That being said, a life devoted to becoming smarter isn’t necessary, and won’t exactly lead to a happier life. I think a good balance of relevant competence and meaningful activity would lead to a more satisfying and happy existence overall.

Finishing this small trilogy of ‘no one needs infinite wisdom’ stanzas is the simple truth that a fate known is a life lived in fear and misery, an experience that Odin can absolutely attest to. In the Eddic poem Voluspa, Odin revives a dead seeress, seeking all kinds of knowledge from her.

What he learns would change his life forever. He acquires the knowledge of his fated death at Ragnarok, and from this would go on to live a life in fear of this end, going to extreme lengths to prevent this. He would build a colossal private army of warriors, the Einherjar who live in Valhalla, and make many great sacrifices in pursuit of more wisdom.

The outcome is the same though. The great wolf will, with absolute certainty, break free from his chains, and while the world is plunged into darkness, Odin will be devoured amidst the chaos.

The message of stanza 58 seems like a great extension to that of stanza 33 - "Nourish yourself early, unless a friend's table calls; a starving man becomes lethargic, and even the sharpest wits become impaired.” The core idea of both of these is that you set yourself up for success early in the morning. I definitely agree with the idea of waking up early to be more productive, even if it’s something I tend to struggle to do on a consistent basis. 

Me and my girlfriend once spent an entire summer waking up at 6am followed by a 2 hour walk with our husky snow, a cold shower and a high protein breakfast. By 9am I was energised, alert, well fed and I’d had more than enough time to think about my tasks for the day and form a plan. What I found is that I was finishing my work day earlier while still being as productive. 

I would add to this with the advice that you should start your day by eating the frog. If you aren’t familiar with this concept, it’s from a fantastic book by the same name. The idea is that if you wake up every morning and the thing you have to do is eat a live frog, you know with absolute certainty that you’ve completed your hardest challenge of the day. 

The application of this concept is that you should prioritise your most difficult task of the day, and do that first. If the warrior goes into battle first thing in the morning, the rest of the day will be easy by comparison [if he lives]. If the hungry wolf catches it’s prey in the morning, it can spend the rest of the day freely with the pack. 

If you complete your worst task first thing in the morning, the rest of the work day will be far less stressful in comparison.

The message of stanza 58 seems like a great extension to that of stanza 33 - "Nourish yourself early, unless a friend's table calls; a starving man becomes lethargic, and even the sharpest wits become impaired.” The core idea of both of these is that you set yourself up for success early in the morning. I definitely agree with the idea of waking up early to be more productive, even if it’s something I tend to struggle to do on a consistent basis. 

Me and my girlfriend once spent an entire summer waking up at 6 am followed by a 2-hour walk with our husky snow, a cold shower, and a high protein breakfast. By 9 am I was energised, alert, well fed and I’d had more than enough time to think about my tasks for the day and form a plan. What I found is that I was finishing my work day earlier while still being as productive. 

I would add to this with the advice that you should start your day by eating the frog. If you aren’t familiar with this concept, it’s from a fantastic book by the same name. The idea is that if you wake up every morning and the thing you have to do is eat a live frog, you know with absolute certainty that you’ve completed your hardest challenge of the day. 

The application of this concept is that you should prioritise your most difficult task of the day, and do that first. If the warrior goes into battle first thing in the morning, the rest of the day will be easy by comparison [if he lives]. If the hungry wolf catches its prey in the morning, it can spend the rest of the day freely with the pack. 

If you complete your worst task first thing in the morning, the rest of the work day will be far less stressful in comparison. 

‘The early bird gets the worm,’ Stanza 59 is another that reinforces the positive impact of waking up early to seize the opportunities of the day. I absolutely agree with the idea that your wealth is half-won in the early hours of the morning. 

I consistently start work at 9 am in the morning, as my girlfriend works a corporate job from home, so it makes sense to align my work schedule with hers. What I notice is that the hours of 9-12 feel drastically different from the hours of 12-5:30. I can’t quite put my finger on why, but it’s very clear that whatever happens during those first three hours absolutely sets the tone for the rest of my day. 

Of course, there’s some nuance to be taken into consideration here, as I have to recognise that I'm speaking from a biased perspective in which all of the work that I do solely benefits me. When I worked in retail, I was nowhere near as motivated, as my labor was barely rewarded and thus unfulfilling. 

That being said, I noticed a huge difference in my quality of life when my schedule of 9-3 five days per week was changed to evenings. My days were much better when working 9-3, as I’d return home with a whole evening to spend on my content and commissions for Einarr’s Journey. When working the evening shifts [2 or 4-10:30], I’d wake up late and barely do anything before the shift. 

What I’m getting at is that in my personal experience, I found it far more beneficial to work in the morning than in the evening.

The first line stanza 60 is a lot less applicable to the majority of people in the modern world, as we rely now on gas and electric heating as opposed to an open fire. Of course, there are still some who do, but most of us heat our homes by paying a bill and pressing a button. 

That being said, the latter half of this stanza carries a crucial message that I think we can all benefit from. In an earlier stanza, I spoke to the idea of carefully choosing the skills and knowledge that you wish to acquire in your lifetime. 

I think home maintenance is absolutely one of those core skills that everyone should think about developing in their lives. You’ll become far more independent if you learn the inner workings of your home, even if just the basics. 

Learning how to repair your boiler, how to paint, and developing some simple woodworking skills just to name a few will massively reduce your dependence on others, and save you a bit of money too. You can even extend this to car repairs, the knowledge gained will help you save money or at the very least, avoid being taken advantage of if you happen across a dishonest mechanic. 

On top of this, these are timeless life lessons you can gift to your children so that they can live more independent lives.