Jeff Russell

Jeff,

Thank you! I wanted to think this through carefully, seeing what insights I could draw, hence the delay in my reply.

The setting feels like an accurate "most of the above"; I think the central thing I note is that someone else "using communication skills to diminish me" is a very big part of my life. I want to keep an open mind to "misapplying Odin's gifts" as something I am doing as well--there are some places where I should consider how I'm using the insight/synthesis portion of those gifts well.

The "Responsibilities and Promises" feels fitting; it doesn't give a direction, but entanglement between my "who I am" - Ego - and "how I interact and have interacted with my responsibilities" is a very big part of my self-image and I think this points toward that being a weakness.

The Outcome is of course to be determined - but "You won't get what you want, but it will be for the good" sounds helpful.

Overall, my take-away is "keep trying, but re-think how your self-image makes you vulnerable to manipulation by words."

This reminds me of one of my favorite bits of poetry about the Norse Gods (Lewis)

...The weary gods,
Scarred with old wounds; the one-eyed Odin, Tyr who has lost a hand,
Will limp to their stations for the last defense. Make it your hope
To be counted worthy on that day to stand beside them.

Thank you!
SamChevre