Sunday Supplement #137 (December 24th, 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:
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
– Leo Buscaglia
Book of the Week:
Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens is one of the most famous authors of history. Many of his novels and works have influenced literature and film well beyond their original publishing dates of the mid-1800s.
Great Expectations was Dickens’ penultimate completed book and originated as a serial in his weekly periodical from December 1860 to August 1861.
The story follows Phillip “Pip” Pirrip from his childhood in the coastal marshes of Kent through his arduous experiences to adulthood, moving to the grimy city of London.
Pip’s journey has him crossing paths with escaped convicts, apprenticing as a blacksmith, becoming a gentleman, and courting potential love.
Great Expectations is a classic of literature and one I recommend to be on everyone’s to-read list at some point in their lives.
Movie of the Week:
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl’s bestselling book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was adapted into the classic 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
The movie tells the story of a poor boy, Charlie, who hopes to get one of the five coveted golden tickets that will give him exclusive passage to the reclusive genius Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.
Dahl penned the script for Mel Stuart to direct, but David Seltzer was brought on for uncredited rewrites, which, combined with Stuart’s directing choices, led Dahl to disown the film.
That being said, the movie is still well worth the watch. The Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the United States National Film Registry in 2014.
Gene Wilder shines at Willy Wonka, and while Roald Dahl was a fantastic writer, the movie stands the test of time as well as Dahl’s stories.
Brainfood of the Week:
Hurt Sea Lion Asks Boaters For Help | The Dodo
The Dodo is a YouTube Channel that hosts uplifting videos about animals, the people in their lives, and their stories.
In this video, a hurt sea lion seeks assistance from some humans on a boat. The sea lion was injured and needed rehab before being released back into the ocean.
It’s a short and simple video, but I love coming across stories where people help others. And The Dodo is an excellent source of videos of this kind of content.
I’ve only featured The Dodo in one other post, Sunday Supplement #32, but I love their videos and highly recommend their channel.
Closing Spiritual Passage:
“Charity given to a worthy person simply because it is right to give, without consideration of anything in return, at the proper time and in the proper place, is stated to be in the mode of goodness.”
– Bhagavad Gita 17:20
You can pull a lot from this Bhagavad Gita passage, but I am drawn to the part that states, “without consideration of anything in return.”
I think of holding a door open or letting someone go in front of you while driving, not receiving any recognition, and then getting annoyed.
On a smaller level, this seems trivial, but it raises the question of why we performed the act of kindness. Was it so we could receive recognition or praise?
Anyway, I think the Bhagavad Gita passage points to the beauty of giving at the right time in place to someone who needs it and not worrying about recognition.
Give without expecting anything in return, and have a blessed week ahead!