Only The Good Friday

[Note: The Only The Good Friday meme is taking a vacation for the summer. That doesn't mean you can't post optimistic essays (I know that I still will be), but until next fall this meme is resting. Thanks for stopping to visit!]

Would you like to join us in spreading an “optimism virus” on the internet? Have I got a meme for you?!

What is it?: Only The Good Friday
When is it?: Every doggone Friday
What do you post?: Anything you want, as long as it’s “good”–meaning “not negative.”
How do I join? Write a post. Link back to the Only The Good Page for that date (so folks can find and join the meme).
NEW! I’ve recently added Mr. Linky to the bottom of each post. Be sure to sign it, so that other people will find you (because not everyone comes to this page.

Find the latest entry at the top of my Only The Good Fridays Archives.

Here’s the deal:
Back in October of 2008, I got fed up with seeing “bad news” everywhere I turned. I decided that one day a week, just for that day, I would put aside my tendency toward “snarkiness” and post only about good things. I wrote a post called Only The Good Fridays, and invited you to join me.

Here’s what I told you then, and it still applies:

What to post? Use your imagination! You can post a picture, or just tell us good news for the day. You can say one good thing about the political candidate you oppose (well, maybe not). You could post about a favorite charity … so we can get the opportunity to do good. You can share a joke or your Aunt Nelda’s kick butt recipe for Bacon Brownies.

The point of this little exercise is simply to look at the world in a different way. When we look for the good, we will see it. I promise it gets easier with practice. You might even find that you are feeling more optimistic on other days of the week!

Since that first day, I have posted every Friday but one. You can find the posts in my Only The Good Fridays Archives, and in the comments section for each post you will find links to other folks who have joined me.

I’m trying to get a blogroll together, so if you are linking to OTGF, please let me know! If you have a “category” for Only The Good Friday, give me a link to your category. That way, readers can see ALL of your OTGF posts ANY time they visit. My category link is:

http://thiseclecticlife.com/category/only-the-good-friday/

Please tell me if I somehow missed you, and I’ll get you on this list. Thanks to all of you for playing along!

Come along and join me in spreading this “optimism virus.” You can write about anything that pleases you. I only ask that you the page for each Friday, so your readers can join as well.

Here is a folktale about Nasreddin Hodja that I have posted on the blog before. I think it perfectly sums up the Only The Good Friday theme:

The teacher, Nasreddin Hodja, sat beneath a tree outside of town instructing his pupils. As they talked, they heard a man coming down the road.

The traveler was fairly skipping along and whistling a happy tune, greeting the birds and squirrels as he passed them beside the road.

When the traveler saw Hodja and his students, he called out a warm greeting, “Hello friends! What a fine day it is! Can you tell me the kind of people I will find in the next town? The last town I visited was full of such wonderful people! Oh, they were so generous and kind. Is that how people are in the next village?”

Hodja smiled and said, “I think you will find what you expect.”

The man cheered and went on his way.

As Hodja continued to teach, they heard another traveler coming. This second traveler was cursing until the air turned blue. He kicked stones in his path, and picked them up to hurl at birds.

When this traveler saw Hodja, he called out, “You there! What are the people like in the next village? Those people in the last town were evil and rude! I’ve never seen such unkindness! Is that what this next village is like?”

Hodja nodded sadly and said, “I think you will find what you expect.”

“That’s what I thought,” the traveler snarled, as he went on his way.

A student said, “Hodja! Why did you lie to those two men? You told the first that the village had kind people and the second that the villagers were evil!”

“I didn’t lie. I said nothing of the kind,” smiled Hodja. “I told them both, ‘you will find what you expect.’”

With that, Hodja went on with the lesson of the day.