The state of the svithe (one year later)

.

This is the one-year anniversary of my inaugural svithe. Now, granted, there was a stretch of some months wherein we did not have internet access and so svithing was put on hiatus, but still, it has been a year.

So much to say....

First, I want to update my definition of a svithe to reflect current usage:

Svithe: a spiritually themed blogpost on a blog generally less concerned with spiritual things. Also, must be called a svithe to really be a svithe.

I think that's accurate. But, since the word has left my care and has made its own way in the world, it needs more of a wikidefinition--so feel free to alter it to make it more accurate.

Second, self-evaluation:

My personal goal when I started svithing was simply to set aside one day of blogging in seven on the altar of Better Things. Although some of the svithes have been shameless copouts, I have not missed even one Sunday when we have had internet at home. In the future, I will try to adjust the proportion of copout svithes to decent svithes in decent's favor, but overall I feel pretty good about how things turned out. Accomplishing goals is not something I usually do.

Third, known svithers:

A number of people have taken the concept of svithing and brought it into their own homes. As part of my fifth svithe, I wrote that "The problem of course [with svithing] is that I am one person. What if more people would, now and then, write something the only purpose of which was to spread faith and beauty? Or to ask questions of eternal import? Or to spread heart-wrenching but patently false stories about baby angels? ... a witness or testimony ... [or] lists of unanswered questions that weigh on the mind, a tally of hopes and fears, a desperate cry for understanding from beyond, a simple statement of heartfelt fact."

To me, svithing was never meant to be jingoistic, but an opportunity for honesty--and honestly addressing or discussing God (or doubt) (or the Great Fish Named Boolah)--no matter one's feelings toward him (or her) (or it) (or them).

To my joy, a number of people have found svithing to be worthwhile--and some have even made it a regular practice. In many ways, I want to divorce myself from the origins of svithing lest people think svithing=Theric rather than svithing=Who I Am & What I Think.

Thankfully, that has not happened. The following is a list of people known to have written a svithe none of whom--or so it appears to me--have been pandering for Theric's favor (which, let's face it, is worthless anyway) but instead have been writing from somewhere personal and all their own. This is relieving and satisfying. And makes for much better reading.

Behold, the known svithers:

Asmond
Daltongirl
Foxy J
JB
Katria
Master Fob
Muse
Nemesis
Queen Zippergut
SenecaSis
Silly Marie
Snarky MorMom
'sposita
Stupidramblings
Third Mango
Tolkien Boy

Fourth, the future:

I will keep svithing every Sunday. I will continue devouring every other person's svithe I come across with the ravenous hunger of a bear who has slept through honey season. (Please keep me satiated. I am hungry.)

Fifth, today:

Today I am happy. Sure, I'm tired and no, nothing remarkable happened, but I feel the world is a good place all the same.

My opinion--often expressed--is that God hopes we will be happy. And for all my friends in the ether, that is my hope for us too. May we all be happy.

I'll see you next week.

And all next year.





visit this svithe on thmusings
last week's svithe