Anyone familiar with Germanic/Norse mythology knows the tale of Sunna and her brother Mani. Sunna in her horse drawn chariot pulls the sun across the sky while her brother follows her and does the same with the moon. But there is a sad note to this story. Sunna is pursued by a wolf that goes by the name of Skoll; Mani is chased by the wolf Hati. At the end of the world, Ragnarok, these wolves will finally overtake Sunna and Mani. And they will consume both sun and moon, plunging the world into darkness. According to the mythology, their fate is sealed. But what of yours?
What kind of Great Race are you running? There certainly is nothing wrong with success and obtaining wealth. These questions, however, one should ask of himself: how are you going about your quest? What sacrifices are you making and did you make - granted, there is no gain without sacrifice. But, have you alienated your spouse, children, and family? What have you given back in the ways of generosity and hospitality to your family and community? It is written in The Havamal, a very old and wise text that a generous man is looked upon with favor but a miser is not. In our modern world there is one more question that should be asked: is running the rat race really worth it? The answer is that it can be if you properly set your moral and ethical compass in a positive light. One way to do this is to weigh your goals against the Nine Nobel Virtues of Asatru. Check out the Nobel Nine. You will be glad that you did.
