Sunday Supplement #157 (May 12th, 2024)
Below is another Sunday Supplement with a quote worth sharing, a book worth reading, a movie worth watching, brainfood worth consuming, and a spiritual passage worth pondering.
Please take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!
Quote of the Week:
“Follow your intuition, listen to your dreams, your inner voice to guide you.”
– Katori Hall
Book of the Week:
1984 – George Orwell
There are many classic books that I’ve heard of and thought I’d eventually get around to reading. Finally getting to a novel like 1984 is a reminder that the classics genre is there for a reason and should be perused more than while you’re in high school.
George Orwell’s dystopian 1949 novel 1984 takes place in Great Britain, known as Airstrip One, a province of the totalitarian superstate Oceania. Much of the world is fighting a perpetual war.
Big Brother, a dictatorial leadership, leads Oceania and controls the masses through the Party’s Thought Police.
Winston Smith is a worker at the Ministry of Truth who secretly hates the Party. He starts a relationship with a colleague, Julia, and they attempt to join a resistance group called the Brotherhood.
1984 is on many Top Books lists. I found it to be a satirical cautionary tale. It’s an engaging read and one I found well worth passing along as a recommendation.
Movie of the Week:
I’ll start by saying this film probably isn’t for everyone. Harold and Maude is a dark comedy about a young man obsessed with death who meets a septuagenarian obsessed with life.
The movie follows the classic trope of an older mentor guiding a youth, but it does it with a brilliantly crafted story.
Bud Cort captures the spirit of Harold brilliantly while Ruth Gordon stuns as Maude. And Harold’s mother, played by Vivian Pickles, is a worthy shout-out for a supporting role.
Harold and Maude is a movie that makes many top lists for classic films, and I believe it stands the test of time and is worth recommending.
Brainfood of the Week:
The Art of Listening | Simon Sinek
Simon Sinek is a bestselling author and speaker on business leadership. He spoke at the UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in 2016 and has an imprint at Penguin Random House.
This video starts with Sinek explaining that the art of listening isn’t just hearing others’ words but understanding their meaning.
Sinek discusses the importance of giving someone the space to feel heard and, in doing so, creating trust.
For me, a highlight from this video is when Sinek discusses Deeyah Khan’s documentary White Right: Meeting the Enemy. It’s fascinating what genuine listening can accomplish.
I’ve featured Simon Sinek in several previous Sunday Supplements. If you enjoyed this video, check out the other posts.
Closing Spiritual Passage:
“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is a folly and shame unto him.”
– Proverbs 18:13
I’m a big fan of this Bible passage because its message is one that I prioritize in my rules for engaging with others.
Less seriously, I think we can get excited by what we want to share or say and often don’t fully listen to others when engaging in conversation.
However, if we genuinely want to connect with someone, we have to listen and leave space for not needing to respond.
A more serious lesson from this passage is passing judgment before hearing someone else’s side. It can be very easy to dismiss someone’s side based on our own, and it’s worth working on hearing others before judging them.
Make space for listening, and have a blessed week ahead!