Sunday Supplement #113 (July 9th, 2023)
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:
“Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy, and mutual valuing.”
– Rollo May
Book of the Week:
The Other Wes Moore – Wes Moore
Wes Moore states in the book, “The other Wes Moore is a drug dealer, a robber, a murder. I am a Rhodes scholar, a White House Fellow, a former Army officer. Yet our situations could easily have been reversed.”
The journey of this book being written started when the Baltimore Sun ran a piece about Wes Moore, a local student who had received a Rhodes Scholarship.
In the same paper, the police were reported to be looking for two suspects who had allegedly killed a police officer in an armed robbery. One of the suspects’ names was Wes Moore.
Moore reached out later to the other Moore in prison and started a correspondence that developed into a relationship.
In this book, he chronicles their lives, how similar they were growing up, and the differences and a bit of luck that shaped their lives differently.
The Other Wes Moore is a New York Times bestseller well worth checking out.
Movie of the Week:
I think the war film genre is extremely difficult to capture uniquely after so many brilliant films in the past have covered much ground.
So, I was curious when director/writer Christopher Nolan decided to tackle the story of Dunkirk. I’m a huge fan of his work and wanted to see what he could do differently.
Nolan’s Dunkirk follows three storylines around the battle of Dunkirk: one from the perspective of those on the beach, one from a pilot going to provide cover, and the third follows a boat of civilians called to action to help rescue the stranded soldiers.
The storylines are straightforward, and the history of Dunkirk won’t leave any surprises, but the way Nolan brings the narratives together is brilliant.
Brainfood of the Week:
Creating A Community And Finding Purpose | Stephen Jon Thompson
In this TEDx Talk, Stephen Jon Thompson tells the audience about his beginnings as an abandoned child to his success as an executive recruiter in the software industry.
Thompson was in a juvenile detention center when he promised himself he would never be alone again and that he’d find his family.
His journey afterward took him to an orphanage, where he started to make friends with the people in the home, his classmates at school, and others in the community.
Thompson discusses how nurturing relationships through thousands of seemingly simple interactions created oneness.
Check out the video if you’re interested in hearing the whole story, and consider Thompson’s question of what you want your ideal community to look like.
Closing Spiritual Passage:
“He who begins his day without endeavoring for the improvement of Muslims’ affairs is no Muslim.”
– Kitab al-Kafi Vol 2.
The Kitab al-Kafi is a hadith collection, which refers to reports of statements or actions of Muhammed.
I’ve stated in previous Sunday Supplements how I find it fascinating how many passages of the spiritual religions could have a word or two changed and fit right in another religious text.
If you replaced Muslim with Christian, I wouldn’t be surprised to find this passage in the Bible. I take that lesson from this passage and replace the word with humans.
We should all look for opportunities to help those around us. Whether that be a smile and a hello to someone walking by or lending a hand to one in need, I believe our actions can help make a better community.
Look for those opportunities to give back, and have a blessed week ahead!