Tag: gratitude

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

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

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 3, 2024

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!

John F. Kennedy, The Dead Zone, The Last Samurai, Kurzgesagt — In a Nutshell, and a Quran Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on March 31, 2024

Sunday Supplement #151 (March 31st, 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:

“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 Dead Zone – Stephen King

I’ve featured several Stephen King books in previous Sunday Supplements, and while I tend to mix up my recommendations, I think there are many King books worth reading. There’s a reason he’s written over 60 books, and all of them are bestsellers.

The Dead Zone follows the lives of Johnny Smith, a high school teacher in Maine who suffered an accident as a child that planted a seed for future events, and Greg Stillson, a door-to-door salesman with grand ambitions.

Johnny and Stillson’s paths cross after Johnny suffers an accident that leaves him in a coma for over five years. He realizes he must thwart Stillson’s ambitions at any cost.

What I love about King’s books is the character building. In The Dead Zone, King brilliantly builds Johnny and Stillson’s characters. What Johnny loses in his five years in the coma, along with Stillson’s growing ambitions, drives the narrative to the heartfelt climax.

If you are curious to check out Stephen King’s works but aren’t a horror fan, this is a solid book to choose for your first read.

Movie of the Week:

The Last Samurai

One of my favorite screenwriters is John Logan. He is the creator/writer of Penny Dreadful and the writer of Skyfall, Hugo, Rango, Sweeny Todd, and Gladiator (among others).

The film follows a US Army veteran who gets hired by the Japanese emperor to train his army in modern warfare and quell the samurai, who are viewed as relics of the past that impede Japan’s westernization.

The veteran, played by Tom Cruise — (spoiler alert) — is captured by the samurai. The film follows his journey as he ends up being saved by the culture he was hired to destroy.

The film was nominated for four Oscars, including Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Ken Watanabe.

While it’s hard to choose from Logan’s excellent filmography, and I will cop out and not pick a favorite, The Last Samurai competes for the top spot. I highly recommend it.

Brainfood of the Week:

An Antidote to Dissatisfaction | Kurzgesagt — In a Nutshell

I recently stumbled upon Kurzgesagt’s YouTube channel and can’t recommend it highly enough. They are “a team of illustrators, animators, number crunchers, and one dog who aim to spark curiosity about science and the world we live in.”

This video starts by discussing how it’s easy to slip into thoughts of scarcity, inferiority, and negative comparison and how researchers have looked into how to counteract these impulses in the last twenty years.

One of the strongest predictors of how happy people are, how easily they make friends, and how good they are at dealing with hardship is gratitude.

How you experience life is a representation of what you believe about it. If you attack your core beliefs about yourself and your life, you can change your thoughts and feelings, which automatically changes your behavior.

The above points are just a few of my favorite picks from the video, but its breakdown of gratitude, its evolution, and how to practice it make the video well worth watching.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“For whoever is grateful, it is only for their own good.”

– Surah Luqman 31:12

This Quran passage discusses gratitude to God. However, I don’t think it is necessarily solely limited to a creator; it can encompass what God can represent.

Being grateful for love, your fellow humans, nature, life, etc, all fall under the umbrella of what God represents.

For me, the key point of this passage is the focus on gratitude. Cultivating a habit of gratitude can only be beneficial.

Operating from a perspective of gratitude allows you to see the good in any situation. That doesn’t mean you ignore bad things, but you can always look to the good after you’ve handled or processed the bad.

Practice gratitude, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Jen Sincero, Kafka on the Shore, Bedazzled, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Jen Sincero, Kafka on the Shore, Bedazzled, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and a Bhagavad Gita Passage

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 12, 2023

Sunday Supplement #131 (November 12th, 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:

“Gratitude is one of the strongest and most transformative states of being. It shifts your perspective from lack to abundance and allows you to focus on the good in your life, which in turn pulls more goodness into reality.”

– Jen Sincero

Book of the Week:

Kafka on the Shore – Haruki Murakami

I’ve featured Murakami stories in three previous Sunday Supplements but had not covered arguably his most famous novel, Kafka on the Shore.

Kafka on the Shore was listed in “The Best 10 Books of 2005” by The New York Times and received the World Fantasy Award for 2006.

While I wouldn’t consider the book a fantasy novel, I’ve stated before that Murakami’s prose often reads like dreams, and he has many stories that contain elements of magical realism.

Kafka of the Shore follows two characters: a 15-year-old boy who runs away from home and an old disabled man with the uncanny ability to talk to cats.

The themes around metaphysics, music as a communicative medium, and dreams are intriguingly explored. Check out the book if it piques your interest.

Movie of the Week:

Bedazzled

2022’s The Whale, which I highlighted in Sunday Supplement #115, marked the “Brenaissance” of actor Brendan Fraser.

Fraser was a big movie star in the 1990s and 2000s before experiencing debilitating on-set injuries and other setbacks that hampered his career.

Thankfully, he’s experiencing a resurgence in the movie industry. And when looking back at his heyday, it’s hard to pass over the Harold Ramis Comedy Bedazzled.

National Lampoon and Ghostbusters alum Ramis directed and co-wrote the film about a hopeless romantic and absolute dweeb who exchanges his soul to the Devil for seven wishes.

Elizabeth Hurley fantastically plays alongside Fraser as the Devil. They both make an excellent duo for this surprisingly heartfelt, campy 2000s Comedy.

Brainfood of the Week:

The Science of Gratitude & How to Build a Gratitude Practice | Huberman Lab Podcast #47

Dr. Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine.

Huberman’s podcast discusses neurosciences and science-based tools, including how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health, as well as existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works.

This video is a deep dive into the science of gratitude and effective gratitude practices. I clipped the podcast to the point where it described receiving gratitude and seeing others expressing gratitude as the most effective gratitude practice.

I thought that was an interesting point in the video worth a quick look, and if you enjoy the content, give the whole episode a watch.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“If one offers me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit, or water, I accept with joy.”

– Bhagavad Gita 9.26

This Bhagavad Gita passage reminds me to look for the good in what I am receiving.

In this case, the Bhagavad Gita passage refers to the joyful acceptance of a gift coming from a place of love.

But I find it interesting how the passage describes the gifts as a leaf, fruit, or water. Some might not think of these as gifts, and it’s a reminder to look for intention when receiving.

Gratitude can be a powerful perspective to operate from and help you look for the good in the situation you’re in.

Find the positives in your life with gratitude, and have a blessed week ahead!

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Leroy Satchel Page, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Wind River, The Science of Happiness, and a Shawnee Nation Proverb

Leroy Satchel Page, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Wind River, The Science of Happiness, and a Shawnee Nation Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on November 27, 2022

Sunday Supplement #81 (November 27th, 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:

“Don’t pray when it rains if you don’t pray when the sun shines.”

– Leroy Satchel Page

Book of the Week:

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao – Junot Díaz

Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao follows a teen living in New Jersey who is a nerd and wants to be the next J.R.R. Tolkien.

The book delves into the history of Oscar’s family and the curse that has haunted them for generations. It jumps between Oscar’s life in New Jersey and his family’s roots in the Dominican Republic, where he was raised.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao received critical praise and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2008.

Díaz’s book has a fantastic mix of generational family drama, magical realism, humor, and perseverance in the face of tremendous obstacles.

Let me know if you check it out and if you enjoyed the read!

Movie of the Week:

Wind River

Oscar-nominated Taylor Sheridan wrote many great scripts, including Sicario and Hell or High Water, and is the creator of Yellowstone. He wrote and directed Wind River.

Wind River follows a veteran hunter who helps an FBI agent investigate the murder of a woman on a Native American reservation in Wyoming.

Sheridan gives an interview with Rolling Stone where he discusses his reluctance to let someone else direct his script because of his relationships with reservation communities.

Sheridan’s Wind River was able to explore topics about life on reservations and give attention to missing and murdered Indigenous Women without coming off as fake or “Social Justice Warrior-y.”

Wind River is a well-done Crime-Drama with much depth in the story and the characters. It’s well worth checking out.

Brainfood of the Week:

An Experiment in Gratitude | The Science of Happiness | Participant

Participant has produced over 100 feature and documentary films and episodic series that collectively have earned 82 Academy Award nominations and 21 wins.

This video starts with the host quoting how psychologists have scientifically proven that one of the greatest contributing factors to overall happiness is how much gratitude you show.

The series did an experiment based on the findings of these psychologists. They gathered volunteers and asked them to think of somebody influential in their lives and write down why the person was so important.

Afterward, they had them call that person. The series gave tests before and after the experiment around happiness disguised so the participants wouldn’t know what the test was about.

Check out the video and see the results! It’s a fun video and worth exploring more of the channel.

Closing Spiritual Passage:

“When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.”

– Tecumseh, Shawnee Nation Proverb

This quote from Tecumseh reminds me to maintain a perspective of gratitude and that there is always something to be grateful for.

I think this mentality can be extremely difficult to have when you’re at your lowest, but accepting the situation and looking for positive holds can help bear tough times.

Whether asking and receiving help from someone or looking for what’s in your control, you can often find something worthy of giving thanks.

This proverb also connected with Leroy Satchel Page’s quote for me. I’ve expressed in Sunday Supplement #6 how I think prayer is often asking for help or giving thanks.

Ask for help when you need it, but always try to find the things to be grateful for. And have a blessed week ahead!

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John F. Kennedy, The Stand, John Q, Deepak Chopra, and an African Proverb

John F. Kennedy, The Stand, John Q, Deepak Chopra, and an African Proverb

Published by Drew Alexander Ross on October 30, 2022

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:

John Q

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!

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