Sunday Supplement #77 (October 30th, 2022)
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.
I hope you take something away from these recommendations that enriches your week ahead!
Quote of the Week:
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
– John F. Kennedy
Book of the Week:
The Stand – Stephen King
I’ve featured Stephen King many times in previous Sunday Supplements. I figured a Halloween weekend post was a good excuse to feature my favorite author again.
King’s The Stand depicts a world as it falls to a deadly virus leading to a post-apocalyptic world that becomes divided by the good and evil people who remain.
The Stand received much attention during the pandemic, but much of that publicity focused on the McGuffin of the book (the virus) rather than the heart of the novel.
Themes like the power of community, transition, and vices are brilliantly explored in the massive 1000+ page novel.
I’ve read almost 50 excellent Stephen King books, but The Stand has always been toward the top of the list. It has also been on many more prestigious best books of all time lists like Rolling Stone, Time, Amazon, and BBC.
Movie of the Week:
Getting away from the Halloween weekend excuse from the previous recommendation is this entry of Nick Cassavetes’s John Q.
While Cassavetes’s most famous film is probably The Notebook, John Q deserves more recognition for the handling of a challenging story.
The James Kearns screenplay shows a father, John Quincy Archibald, making the decision to hold a hospital emergency room hostage when his insurance won’t cover his son’s heart transplant.
Denzel Washington puts in a masterclass performance as John Quincy Archibald. His acting carries the film and has the audience on his side as he tries to save his son.
John Q might not be the best film I’ve recommended, but the movie is worth a watch, especially for the acting of Washington.
Brainfood of the Week:
10 Min Meditation – Gratitude – Daily Guided Meditation by Deepak Chopra
The video here is pretty self-explanatory by the title. Deepak Chopra leads a ten-minute guided meditation around gratitude.
Deepak Chopra is the founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit for research on well-being and humanitarianism.
He has written numerous New York Times bestsellers, has been featured by Oprah Winfrey, and was described by Time magazine as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.
In this guided meditation, Chopra brings you into the present moment and cultivates a meditative state around gratitude opening the door to abundance.
I featured two other meditation videos in Sunday Supplement #31 and Sunday Supplement #41. Check them out if you want some other recommendations!
Closing Spiritual Passage:
“Ingratitude is sooner or later fatal to its author.”
– African Proverb
I started this post with a quote highlighting the importance of following through on words of gratitude, and this African Proverb reminds me of how detrimental ingratitude can be.
For me, gratitude is one of the best ways to fill your cup daily. Having a ritual around feeling and expressing thanks for the blessings in your life keeps your attention on the good in life.
False or insincere gratitude can be a slippery slope to emptiness and ingratitude.
Ingratitude leaves a person feeling many negative emotions that ultimately can turn the head down a path where all you see is darkness.
While there is much evil in the world, you get to choose the attitude you put forth each moment.
Express your gratitude through your actions, and have a blessed week ahead!
I should read The Stand, sounds like a great source for reflection. I’m especially interested in the division between good and evil – it will be interesting to know the author’s take on that. I’ve been leaning toward the perspective that all of us host both and then it’s a matter of attitude and principles on a daily basis, although some seem way into evil to make a return. Thank you so much for this great collection. I must put a notification to come here and check more often, I like to find new sources and you share so many interesting ones. Thank you!
I just saw this comment. Thank you so much for checking out the blog, Vanessa! Sorry for the late reply!
The Stand is definitely a worthwhile read. Many of Stephen King’s works focus on the division and battle between good and evil. And I completely agree with your words that we host both, and it’s up to us which one wins out.
Hope you have a great time over the Holidays!
I love the concept of expressing gratitude through actions. Sometimes I think it’s just routine for people to say thank you without really thinking about it. This quote reframes it and becomes one of action which is much more meaningful. Thanks for sharing another great post Drew!
Glad you’re enjoying them, Jodie! And totally agree on the routine aspect of a thank you. I’ve been trying to pause more when I catch myself and feel the gratitude before expressing it. Thank you for taking the time to comment, Jodie!