The wanderer

The Hávamál, the words of Odin found in the Poetic Edda, is probably the closest thing to scripture we Heathens have. It's not like the Ten Commandments or the Code of Hammurabi. Odin isn't telling us He'll smite us for not following His advice -- but it is, nonetheless, advice. Verses 1-9 are referred to as "Words for Wanderers and Counsel to Guests." Odin, Himself, is often depicted as a wanderer, taking refuge in the homes of mortals, gathering wisdom and knowledge wherever He goes. There is advice for guests and hosts alike. It stresses the importance of hospitality to weary travelers, and proper behaviour for those who are guests in other's homes. It is not a message of universal kindness; Odin counsels such wanderers to be wary of those who offer shelter, and those who offer shelter to be wary of visitors. In other words, always keep your wits about you. What I took from it (among other things) was not to give trust too easily, not to give so much as to be taken advantage of, and, when I am in the guest(as I have often been in my life,) it is important to show gratitude for what is given and to do nothing to disrupt the household where I'm staying.



I wasn't sure why I was compelled to read this last night, but I had a feeling the gods had a reason, and so They did. I encountered such a wanderer today. I was sitting on my porch smoking when a young man came to me and politely asked if he could use my phone. I agreed, and he made the call. I overheard him saying that he had left an unsafe environment at his apartment in a hurry and had taken nothing with him. He'd lost his mobile phone and his wallet in the process. He was trying to get a ride to somewhere he could rest.

He gave me back the phone, and asked if I knew of any homeless shelters in the area. I said I didn't, but could look them up on my phone. I found a number for one of the local shelters, which he called, but didn't have any success in getting a place to sleep for the night.

"I have a few more people I could call," he said. He was very soft-spoken and seemed embarrassed to have to ask for help like this.

"How long have you been walking?" I asked.

"For about fifteen miles," he said.

"Do you want some water?" I asked.

He just nodded his head.

I went inside to get him some water. My gut told me he wasn't going to try anything funny, but I was wary, and kept an eye on him through the window. After all, he could have just taken off with my phone, used it himself or sold it to get some money. He didn't.

"Thanks for not taking off with my phone," I said, as I handed him the water.

He laughed. "I would never do that to you, miss," he said. We then exchanged first names (his is Muhammad), and the thanked me very much for my help.

He called a few more people, and we talked for a while longer. I shared some of my cigarettes with him. At long last, he found someone who was willing to let him spend the night, but it was all the way across town.

"Do you have bus fare?" I asked.

"No," he said.

Muhammad had been polite and humble, so I felt comfortable offering a bit more help. I knew I didn't have any cash on me, but I had planned to walk to the corner store to buy cigarettes anyway. I invited him to walk with me, and told him that I'd get some money out of my account, buy my smokes, and give him enough for bus fare. He was so happy I thought he was literally going to jump for joy.

On the way there, we talked. He said that he had just gotten a new job in construction and that he was waiting on his first paycheck. He said he used to work at Starbucks, and that he really loved coffee. He talked about how his mom always used to buy him coffee ice cream. I laughed and told him I was a coffee addict, too.

He waited outside the store while I got the money and paid for the smokes. I also bought us each a bottle of Starbucks iced coffee. I gave him the money first, and he was so happy to see that five bucks he might as well have been a kid on Christmas. When I pulled the iced coffee out of the bag and handed it to him, he literally clasped his hands and bowed his head. "Morgan, you are a wonderful, wonderful lady. I will never forget this," he said.

I gave him a hug. "Just pay it forward when you can," I said. He smiled. Then we went our separate ways, and that was that.

I cannot tell you how grateful I am, how happy it made me, to be able to help this young wanderer today. Because I helped him, he has a place to sleep tonight and the means to get there. I'm not talking about this to brag, though it does make me feel good about myself. I wanted to share it because I am so grateful for everyone in my life who have helped me through my most difficult times-- everything from letting me bum a smoke to giving me a place to stay and food to eat when I couldn't provide those things for myself. I remember that things could always be better, but they could always be worse, and I am so glad for what I have right now, what I've been given, what I've earned, and what I'm able to give others.

Wandering brings hardship, but it can also breed kindness. This is the kind of person I am, and it's the kind of person I always want to be.