We all feel the need to belong to something bigger than ourselves. It’s a big universe and we are so small in comparison.

Many religions, as time goes on, have to both add omnipotence to their god(s) to accommodate our expanded understanding of the world, or later say that the stories are allegorical.

Not the Norse. It’s accepted that there are many worlds, and peoples upon them. The promises are kept.

Odin protects us from threats greater than ourselves, and expects each of us to fight our own battles. There is no easy escape from your troubles in such saccharine statements as “It’s in gods hands”. Odin expects you to face the world as it is, with courage and bravery.

Odin doesn’t expect you to win every time either. He accepts those broken by their life, and the trauma the received. It’s honesty that Odin expects.