Sunday Supplement #130 (November 5th, 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:
“We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.”
– Hilaire Belloc
Book of the Week:
Into the Wild – Jon Krakauer
The story of Chris McCandless was first recounted by Jon Krakauer in his Outside article titled “Death of an Innocent” before writing the non-fiction book Into the Wild.
Krakauer’s writing of McCandless covers his time after graduating from Emory University in 1991 and his subsequent journey of hitchhiking across America and pursuing an ascetic life.
The book and story are an interesting exploration of trying to find your place in life in relation to being an active member of society and an exploration of man vs nature.
Sean Penn directed an adaptation of Into the Wild starring Emile Hirsch. The movie is worth watching, but the book is able to explore the story with more depth and accuracy.
While there are some critics of the book and story of Chris McCandless, Into the Wild is worth the read and offers a story worth reflecting on.
Movie of the Week:
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Ol Parker adapted Deborah Moggach’s novel Foolish Things to the screenplay that became The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
John Madden directed the film about British retirees moving to Jaipur, India, to stay in the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
The British retirees move to the hotel, believing it to be an exotic retirement home, but find out the hotel is a dilapidated site run by a good-hearted but inept Sonny Kapoor.
Each retiree has their own reason for moving to Jaipur, India, and Sonny must pursue his dream of being a hotel manager against the admonishments from his family.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a fun movie with a heartfelt story. The cast alone of Dev Patel, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, and Tom Wilkinson make it worth the watch.
Brainfood of the Week:
The Point of Travel | The School of Life
The School of Life makes content from psychologists, philosophers, and writers devoted to helping people lead calmer and more reliant lives.
At the beginning of the video, The School of Life states the point of travel is to make us into better people and be a sort of therapy.
The video emphasizes life’s attempt at an inner journey being aided by outer journeys. It highlights how travel used to be used more often as a health prescription and how we should be more aware of how we travel in modern times.
If you enjoyed this video, check out the other posts where I’ve featured The School of Life videos.
Closing Spiritual Passage:
“To one who does not know, a small garden is a forest.”
– Ethiopian Proverb
When I came across this Ethiopian proverb, I thought it was an excellent metaphor for ignorance.
Traveling and listening to other perspectives are excellent ways to not find yourself living in an echo chamber of self-serving biases.
This Ethiopian Proverb reminds me not to get lost in my own garden of thought and to continue exploring other forests.
On the other hand, I think being able to appreciate a garden and finding the wonder in little things is a reminder to see beauty in simplicity.
Travel, explore outside your comfort zone, and have a blessed week ahead!