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Tag: Graham Greene

Marie Kondo, The Quiet American, Children of Men, Eckhart Tolle, and an African Proverb

Sunday Supplement #182 (November 3rd, 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:

“Have gratitude for the things you’re discarding. By giving gratitude, you’re giving closure to the relationship with that object, and by doing so, it becomes a lot easier to let go.”

– Marie Kondo

Book of the Week:

The Quiet American – Graham Greene

Graham Greene’s The Quiet American is narrated in the first person by journalist Thomas Fowler and depicts the breakdown of French colonialism in Vietnam and early American involvement in the Vietnam War.

A central subplot to the narrative involves a love triangle between Fowler, a Vietnamese woman named Phoung, and an American CIA agent named Alden Pyle.

Greene’s novel questions the American involvement in Vietnam in the 1950s and explores the subject through its three main characters.

The novel, published in 1955, received much recognition due to its exploration of American involvement in the War, given its eventual outcome.

I featured Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana in Sunday Supplement #153. I’m grateful I’ve come across his writing and highly recommend his books.

Movie of the Week:

Children of Men

Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men, based on the Phyllis Dorothy James novel, tells the story of a world set in 2027 that struggles to survive after women have become infertile.

A former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea amid a world in chaos.

The film features standout leading performances from Clive Owen and Clare-Hope Ashley and a brilliant supporting cast that includes Michael Kane, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Julianne Moore.

The Children of Men is an excellently crafted story and a wild viewing experience. I’ve only seen this film a couple of times, but it sticks in your memory.

Brainfood of the Week:

Practicing Gratitude for the Present Moment | Eckhart Tolle

I’ve featured Eckhart Tolle in previous Sunday Supplements and may have featured the longer source from which this week’s clip originates.

I’m highlighting this short clip because I believe it addresses a crucial misunderstanding of common experiences of practicing gratitude.

Tolle discusses how being grateful for what you have puts you in a state of comparison. Instead, Tolle suggests shifting toward appreciation in the present moment.

It’s an interesting one-minute lesson worth pondering. If you enjoy it, I’d recommend checking out Tolle’s work.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“A cat that dreams of becoming a lion must lose its appetite for rats.”

– African Proverb

This African proverb reminded me of the old habits that had helped me in the past but were no longer helpful as I grew older.

I believe it is easy to get stuck in an old routine because it can be safe, familiar, and comfortable. At certain points in our lives, these habits can help us, but if we wish to grow, we must embrace change.

One of my friends taught me a helpful exercise for letting go of old habits. It involves recognizing that the behaviors were there to help us deal with a certain part of our lives, being thankful but acknowledging they no longer serve us, and committing to moving forward.


Be grateful for the things that have helped you survive, continue to grow, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Ernest Hemingway, Our Man in Havana, Hamilton, Dr. Russ Harris, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Sunday Supplement #153 (April 14th, 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:

“Never mistake motion for action.”

– Ernest Hemingway

Book of the Week:

Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene

A few years ago, I went on a binge of reading Graham Greene books. I plan to return to his works soon because the ones I read had beautiful prose and sharp narratives.

Our Man in Havana follows Wormold, a vacuum cleaner in Cuba in the late 1950s, as he accepts the offer of a side job in espionage to help support his teenage daughter.

Wormold’s dull reports threaten to deplete the extra income he received from MI6, so he starts embellishing his accounts. The proceeding events spiral with effect.

Graham was shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times and received the Shakespeare Prize and the Jerusalem Prize.

I’ve read about five of Graham’s books, but Our Man in Havana is my favorite. The novel is a fantastic mix of espionage and political satire.

Movie of the Week:

Hamilton

I’m not a big musical person. I’ve greatly enjoyed some of the classics and featured musicals in previous Sunday Supplements, but I’m a harsh critic of the genre.

Hamilton is a blast from start to finish. While it isn’t the pinnacle of historical accuracy, I think it accomplishes what it set out to achieve and can make history engaging for those who don’t typically seek it out.

The musical follows the stories of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr as each navigate the years of America’s founding fathers. This version captures a live Broadway production from Richard Rodgers Theater with the original Broadway cast.

There’s so much to appreciate about the musical, including the writing and choreography, but my favorite highlights are the performances of Leslie Odom Jr., Renée Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, and Jonathan Groff.

Hamilton holds the record for most Tony Award nominations, and this recording received the 2021 Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). 

Brainfood of the Week:

The Choice Point: A Map for a Meaningful Life | Dr. Russ Harris

Dr. Russ Harris is a psychotherapist, medical practitioner, and bestselling author of The Happiness Trap.

In this video, Harris breaks down our decisions (conscious or unconscious) into actions that move us toward our desired life or away from it.

When life is going well, choosing actions that move us toward the life we want is easier. However, life isn’t always easy, and we can get caught up in negative thoughts and feelings.

Harris’s video discusses identifying values and becoming more aware of the choice points of our actions. He doesn’t go into more detail since the video promotes his book and his classes, but identifying whether your choices align with your values seems to be the goal.

Dr. Harris’s channel has some interesting videos, not all of which end on cliffhangers. I’m curious to check out his book. The video was a good reminder of the consequences of our actions if we aren’t conscious and in alignment with our values.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“Those who see action in inaction and inaction in action are truly wise amongst humans. Although performing all kinds of actions, they are yogis and masters of all their actions.”

– Bhagavad Gita 4:18

This Bhagavad Gita passage can be broken down in a few different ways. The two that stand out to me are that inaction can be a choice, and there can be senseless action.

The second one reminds me of the Hemingway quote. Often, we can mistake mindless action as meaningful. Sometimes, we need to move forward, but other times, it’s better to think about the best way to move forward before acting.

On the other hand, we can often refrain from making a choice, which itself becomes a choice. By not making a decision, we think we can avoid a situation.

I think some of the most challenging decisions we face are meaningful action and knowing the right time to act.

Do the best you can, make conscious choices, and have a blessed week ahead!

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