viking fridays – fate of norns.
November 28, 2008
Thence come the maidens
mighty in wisdom,
Three from the dwelling
down ‘neath the tree;
Urth is one named,
Verthandi the next,
On the wood they scored,
and Skuld the third.
Laws they made there,
and life allotted
To the sons of men,
and set their fates.
From the Völuspá
The Völuspá is a Norse poem which tells the story of the creation of the world and its coming end. In it, the Norns spin the threads of fate at the foot of Yggdrasil, the tree of the world.
The length of each thread corresponds to the length of a person’s life. The Norns decide each person’s fate in advance, and no one knows how long his or her thread shall be.
re·gret
–verb (used with object)
1. to feel sorrow or remorse for (an act, fault, disappointment, etc.): He no sooner spoke than he regretted it.
2. to think of with a sense of loss: to regret one’s vanished youth.
There is a person I barely know, who is approaching the end of her thread, and she recently expressed regret that she had not taken an opportunity a decade ago to move closer to her family.
Sadly, though she would very much like to be nearer her loved ones, her health is such that she would not likely survive the journey.
I am saddened by this, because she is half a world away from those who would comfort her – her thread was long, yet, coming to the end of it, she has this one regret. At the same time, I am filled with fire, to not let that be me one day.
And there is another person I barely knew, who was the other day struck down in the prime of her life. How I came to know her was humorous and almost embarrassing at first, yet I do not regret it one bit. I am happy to have known her. A truly beautiful individual who would have given so much, her thread cut very short.
I know only this.
I know not the length of my own thread.
Live without fear. Die without fear. Without regret.
The fate of Norns awaits all of us.
(Image credit: Arthur Rackham)
Heh heh.
You said Skuld.
Heh heh heh.
Friar’s last blog post..Another Ungrateful List
@Friar,
I know where that’s going
It’s like my dad told me, “Never say ‘if only’.” “If only” I had done this or that. While it’s true that the simplest, seemingly inconsequential decisions can later be seen to have the most impact in our lives, spontaneity creates the most interest. I think the key is to not feel so boxed in that we can’t be spontaneous.
Betsy’s last blog post..GRATITUDE
@Brett
I would just grab my thread from the Norns, and tie the ends together in a tight knot that can’t be undone.
There you go…now my life is one big loop, with no beginning or end.
Hey Norn-holes….figure THAT one out…!
Friar’s last blog post..Another Ungrateful List
Brett,
I am sorry to hear about your friends. I do believe we have to take control of our lives or our lives will take control of us.
We get to choose. Sometimes its hard to know if we are choosing wisely at the time.
Wendi Kelly’s last blog post..A Day of Gratitude, A Life Grateful
@Friar,
Make it a Möbius band, that way you can cut it in half and still have a loop
@Wendi,
Thank you. It is true, we do have to take control of our lives. Somehow, we eventually figure out when we are making the right choices. Usually it means listening to your gut feeling.
(And thanks for your updates today on our shared page – I will update it later tonight.)
PS – everyone is either with family today (which is good), or out shopping…
When I made the decision at the end of last year to go back and train to be a teacher, it was partially based on advice that a friend gave me:
“There’s always a million excuses why you shouldn’t, you have to focus on the reasons why you should”
With mum getting sick this year – and us having no clue how near or far the end of her thread is – it’s just brought back to me how fragile our hold on life in this phase is and how vitally important it is to live our lives to the fullest potential. I’d rather regret what I did than what I didn’t do
Scribbles’s last blog post..Forgive me, style goddesses, for I have sinned…
@Brett
Have you ever cut a Möbius band in half…AGAIN?
You get two loops interconnected in a chain!
….COOOOOOOL!
Friar’s last blog post..Another Ungrateful List
@Scribbles,
Your friend gave you great advice for sure – may all of us have the courage to follow in your steps, if we so desire. And may your mum’s thread be very long indeed.
I like that – regret what you did, rather than what you did not.
@Friar,
Oh yes – I wonder how the Norns would explain that one… some kind of parallel universe Star Trek Evil Spock with a beard thing, perhaps…
I always feel a little bit heart broken when I read stories like these Brett.
I just shouldn’t have to happen, but it does.
I was in a workshop once with an old job, where I was taking part in an exercise to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to write and help people, and so I was put in the middle of the room and asked to come up with 10 reasons why I couldn’t do it. I struggled around number 8, but managed to find 10 good reasons why I couldn’t do it, and by number 10 I pretty much had myself convinced.
I was then asked to find one reason why I could do it and why it would work. All I said was ‘Because I really want it.‘.
I always remember that exercise, and use it with clients all the time.
Steve Errey’s last blog post..What’s it Gonna Take to Feel Like You’re Truly Confident?
Steve,
I know what you mean – it shouldn’t happen, but it does. It is part of life. I guess that’s why when we figure out what we want to do, we have to go do it. Because we want it.
Brett,
I read this yesterday, but darn I couldn’t come up with a word to say. I’m still overwhelmed by it today. I (try to) live this way, as we’ve talked about before, only putting off what I can afford to leave undone. For me, knowing that I don’t know how long my thread is, works. It keeps my priorities in sharp focus. I have very few regrets.
Lately I seem to know too many people just hanging around, waiting for the snip. No regrets (yet) because they’ve let go of dreaming big. I think their regrets will come when it’s too late to do something about it, and this post really got me thinking about those friends of mine.
I am so sorry about your friends, but I’m glad you’ve taken away a good lesson from it. First things first, full speed ahead, and f**k all the rest if necessary. Live with joy.
Okay, now for the dummy question: is there a difference between “Norse” and “Viking” or is one a subset of the other? Is “Norse,” ancient Norwegian?
You’d think when I borrowed this last name (Erickson) a little understanding of things like this would have been in the instruction manual.
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Say NO to Your Yes Men and Save Face Later!
Kelly,
You’re doing a good job, compared with most. I think I had meant to add, and did not, for anyone carrying regrets – either let them go, if they don’t matter anymore, or do something to rectify the issues.
It is interesting, that the first person I mentioned, the regret she feels is one that I shall not allow myself to feel if at all possible. If I die tonight in my sleep, I will know that I at least tried to get to where I want to be, and had fun doing it. The second person I mentioned, this was more a case of me being thankful I took the time to meet her, and so, I can say without regret that I met someone new – I am glad I did, or my life would not have been richer for it – and I might have regretted it.
Believe me. I’m still thinking about what I wrote, and will continue to tweak what I do to make sure I’m moving the right way, until I can’t move anymore. And I’ll have fun doing it
Not a dummy question. Basically Norse would be in reference to ancient Scandinavia, the Norsemen – people of the North – of which the Vikings would be a subset. I suppose Vikings are Norsemen but not all Norsemen would necessarily be Vikings.
(Maybe a real expert would have a different story, but this is how I know it.)
So I suppose Norse could be ancient Norwegian.
Maybe many of us have forgotten it in spite of it being such a big part of our heritage. I mean, those crazy guys and gals went all over the place, throughout Europe, the British Isles, North America…
Maybe when our ancestors stopped telling stories and started watching TV…
Yeah – we need to have more bonfires, and drink more ale and mead and wine, and tell tales
that will do it!
“Vikings are Norsemen but not all Norsemen would necessarily be Vikings.”
And Ericksons went to Iowa, met Flynns somehow—who may at one point have been busy fending off Vikings—and suddenly, Irish people were wandering around masquerading as Swedes, with no idea why people couldn’t stay put in Scandinavia so I could understand who’s who. LOL.
Friar,
Can I get a Venn diagram, please? ( Norse (Vikings) ) Where do Swedish people go?
Brett,
Oh, darn. I was going to bring mead to New York for Thanksgiving and I forgot. Now you’ve reminded me, I’ll have to bring some for Christmas. Mmm.
Until later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Say NO to Your Yes Men and Save Face Later!
Well, as you and I both have Irish backgrounds, perhaps there is something to this Viking thing.
There was some Scandinavian settlement in Ireland around the 9th century, at least on the southern coastlines, and Sweden around 8th century.
(France too – Normandy – and I’m part French, part Irish)
This map is kind of handy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Viking_Expansion.svg
Vikings, Vikings, everywhere, nor any drop of mead to drink (because they drank all of it!)
@Brett
So, when the Vikings are drinking in a tavern drinking mead (or grogg..or whatever) and one of these bozo thread-spinners walks in, do they all go:
“Nooooorn!!!!”….
(Ducking and running now…)
Friar’s last blog post..World Class…or World ASS?
PS.
YAYYYY! Kelly’s back
(We missed ya, Kelly…did you know that during your absence, Brett and I were reduced to hijacking Alex’s blog instead of MCE?)
Friar’s last blog post..World Class…or World ASS?
@Friar,
I’d think the Vikings would be ducking and running, lest the Norn gets out her scissors and shortens their threads a bit!
Hey, we can hijack Kelly’s blog *and* Alex’s blog now… heh heh
*shakes computer, wondering why subscribe-to-comments isn’t working today*
Brett,
According to that map I could BE a Viking. It’s a bit distressing. My poor father would croak at the thought.
Friar,
I missed you greatly, dear Friar.
You could pretty much have trashed my last post, for all the attention I was paying, and let poor Alex be. (Though I’m sure he enjoyed it.) I’ll have to go see what trouble you boys have been causing at SS.
Right after I do some work. Hey, what am I doing here? Oops, the great Internet time-suck is trying to get me…
Later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Say NO to Your Yes Men and Save Face Later!
Kelly,
Hey, you should be proud! Interesting that your parents chose a very appropriate name for you (Kelly comes from Ceallach, of Irish & Gaelic origin, meaning “bright headed”)
And I think that Ceallach may come from the Norse name Delling which sort of means the same thing (Google is my friend!)
So there you go, bright headed one
Brett
Ceallach, Kelly, Tomahto, Tomayto…You could be fooling us and we woudln’t know the difference.
Friar’s sources say “Kelly” comes from Kyl-Lagh, from Celtic-Welsh origin,meaning “Wise Merchant”.
It also has origins in Norse Mytholdoy
Kyell-laik, the goddess of with and humor.
See? I can make up stuff too!
Friar’s last blog post..World Class…or World ASS?
…ooops. MyTHOLOGY…not Mytholdgy
Friar’s last blog post..World Class…or World ASS?
Hmm.
?
The only translation from Gaelic I’ve ever seen says Kelly means “warrior.” (Baby Names book my parents had around when I was a kid.) I love that translation. It was a boys’ name when my parents chose it, so I imagine there were some family wars over naming me. (You’re naming her what?)
The name keeps me strong, and oh, boy, do I need it. It’s my talisman.
I like “bright headed,” though. That part of my personality probably gets me into as much trouble as it gets me out of, so I’ll stick with “warrior.”
*she goes away for a minute and returns, puzzled* WTF. I did the same search as you did, got the meaning you got from the #1 search result, then got “farm by the spring,” Teutonic origin, from the #3 result (some talisman that would be); I did find “warrior” at most sites, but it’s amazing the number of other potential meanings I found. The Internet giveth variety, but taketh away certainty.
Flynns as Vikings? Heavens! When my father found out he had just one English ancestor (from his bright-headed genealogist daughter), he nearly died of it. He takes his Irishness very seriously. Me, I’m a mutt thanks to Mom, but she’s part Irish, so we forgive her.
Heh. I know how to go off-topic with the best of ‘em.
Back to work.
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Say NO to Your Yes Men and Save Face Later!
@Kelly
Speaking of the Irish…and speaking of going off topic…
Always after me Lucky Charms!
Pink Hearts, Orange Stars, Yellow moons…GREEN CLOVER…!!
Remember when “New Blue Diamonds” came out?
It was like: BLUE DIAMONDS…holy crap! Notify the president! Ring the LIberty Bell! It’s another Lucky Charms Marshmallow shape! AAAaaaaHH! I’m SO excited!
Damn kids today…spoiled rotten, with all their two-toned magic marshmallows! We were thrilled just to get four shapes!
….(How’s THAT for going off Topic?)
Friar’s last blog post..World Class…or World ASS?
Well, I could be fooling you…
or not!
I do think it is interesting how you can find variances in the origins of the names, depending on the language and so on.
Of course, we all know that the name Friar originates from the Norse name “Olaf Thunderfuck”…
Friar,
This is how I know I’m old. Yes, I remember the blue diamonds, and I can hear the voice-over of the commercial in my head. No kidding.
Not that we ate any sugar cereal in our house (rots your teeth and expensive, too, sang my mother), but I was quite awed by the ad. Seemed like a revolution.
Do they really have two-toned marshmallows now? Wild. (None in my house—rots your teeth and expensive, too, don’cha know.)
Brett,
I thought Friar came from the Greek for “wise, tortured intellectual with a side of snarky.” Are you sure you’ve got the right translation?
OMG I am getting nothing done today. Spinning my wheels doing research. And occasionally popping up on blogs when I know I’m getting further behind. Tomorrow looks ugly. Eeeeek.
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Say NO to Your Yes Men and Save Face Later!
Kelly,
Greeks, Vikings, they all drank too much (like Friar & I) – so I think we all tend to get confused a bit…
^ ^
. .
^
o
Ah, that explains the tortured part…
“I’m not a writer with a drinking problem. I’m a drinker with a writing problem.”
—Brendan Behan, Irish playwright
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Say NO to Your Yes Men and Save Face Later!
@Kelly
That’s what the lads said on the company hockey team (years ago, when I worked in another place):
“We’re a drinking team with a hockey problem ”
PS. My Mom never tolerated Lucky Charms in our house. We only got those at Grandma’s house (as a treat,when we visited).
YES…they now have two-toned Marshmallows (Like a green had with an embedded shamrock). Pretty complex, for a breakfast food.
And for a brief time, some of the marshmallows actually changed colors in milk. Ah…the wonders of food chemistry.
PPS. Used to be with Lucky charms, the marshmallows were few and far between. You’d eat them first, and then you’d be stuck with the shitty cereal.
But now (If you dare) buy a box and pour yourself a bowl full. Sweet Jeezus, it’s a rain-bow colored cluster-f*ck of candy. I swear, the Marshmallow/Cereal Ratio is close to 1:1.
(And they call it “Part of a Good Breakfast”. Hehe.
Friar’s last blog post..World Class…or World ASS?
I used to be like that – I figured I could live the writing life “someday” but had no idea when that someday was. When I realized there was no reason not to do it “now” I dropped everything and made the change.
Fortunately for me without a spouse (at the time) nor kids, the change happened quickly…
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..Gimme a Break!
Alex,
You are right – there is no reason not to do it now. And I won’t let my other obligations hold me back – it just requires careful planning, step-by-step, and I can get there.
I’ve seen it done, by an old classmate who also has four children and a spouse.
No excuses!!!
That was beautiful. I hope the person who is coming to the end of her thread can read your post, it is so worth it!
We never know when our time on earth will be up, we can only hope it’s not today and live the best we can each moment of each day.
Jenny’s last blog post..Doing What’s Right
Thanks Jenny. I am not sure if she will be able to do that, as she’s pretty far away and may not have access to a computer. But, she may be able to read it on the other side, perhaps.
Great advice, life with no regrets. It’s easier to achieve than we might think, but like all things worth achieving it takes work. Thank you for sharing the stories of these two ‘threads’. May we all live threads of joy and without regret.
Neil’s last blog post..Bloggers Unite: World Aids Day
Hi Neil,
It does take work, mostly within the mind of course. I’ve known it to be true for many, many years. I think maybe this year I’m finally waking up to it.
When I read this, I wanted to yell “hell yeah!”. (But I’m in class, and my classmates already think I’m crazy: I have random outbursts of laughter, because I think it’s a good plan to read the comment section in class.)
I made it a policy a long time ago to never live with regret, and your post solidifies my conviction. I want to make life decisions (good or bad), and rejoice that at least I’m not standing still.
@Kelly–You’re lucky that your parents named you something strong
My first name means “little lamb”, and my middle name means “delicate; weary”. My parents must have gotten their hands on a bad cut of weed…. 
@RL,
Keep on doing that – make your decisions, stick by them and *know* that you are living.
(And
to your comment to Kelly!)
RLD,
LOL! As long as being a tired sheep has given you power over the exhausted grasses… or some such…
Thanks goodness I didn’t name any children back in those days.
Reading 6 Weeks does make you want to shout “hell, yeah!” I totally agree.
Later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..You Are the Canary in a Coalmine
… thank goodness…
stupid typos
Kelly’s last blog post..You Are the Canary in a Coalmine
@Kelly,
Hey thanks! I’m glad that both you and RL want to shout “hell, yeah!” – I wanted to shout that at work when I read that… it made me smile
Hi Brett – Had to come back here this morning.
Pete and I attended a funeral yesterday for a lovely woman whose Christian faith was nothing short of extraordinary. She had battled cancer for ten years, on her own terms. Her “bucket list” included a trip to Israel, which she completed two weeks ago.
The eulogy included some remarkable anecdotes and analogies, but the one that struck me was directed toward us – the mourners, “Ruth is remodeling the mansion so it will be ready when you arrive,” – the reference to “in my Father’s house there are many mansions,” obviously, and that we might be her guests, and her family will reside there with her.
The point being: it doesn’t matter the length of the thread, but what it sews together.
I love how certain posts inspire me to riff. This one’s going in my notebook, and you’re going on our blogroll. Thanks.
Betsy’s last blog post..PANIC
Hi Betsy,
I am glad that you came back and shared your story – wow, what a wonderful woman, and you were fortunate to know her.
Your words bear repeating – it doesn’t matter the length of the thread, but what it sews together.
I also find whenever I read your blog, I walk away filled with thoughts, and that’s a good thing. Thanks for putting me up there with the other great people you already have there – it means a lot to me.
(I never did start a traditional blogroll, instead having fun with the ad squares – if you happen to have one, I’d be proud to display yours on my site.)
Wow, thanks! We’d love to! I forwarded to Pete. He’s the one with the PhotoShop skills. We’ll be in touch.
Betsy’s last blog post..PANIC
Betsy,
That sounds great! I can’t wait to see it up there