The Two Popes, and Why Pope Francis Chose His Name

Reflecting on the passing of Pope Francis, I am reminded of this movie on Netflix. Yes, it is fictionalized; it takes true events, things we know, and adds in things we suspect as well as some story-creating elements.

Instead of literal transcriptions, the film’s conversations between Benedict XVI and Francis are based on their stated positions from speeches and writings. They are a kind of conjecture on the part of the filmmakers, a plausible debate to fill a historical gap. “What you always do is you speculate,” [film director] McCarten told the Wrap. “Hopefully that speculation is based in facts and the truth, and hopefully it’s inspired.” [1]

 

As a movie, it is well-done, thought-provoking, and often moving. It is one of those stories that can leave you thinking about it for a long time to come. In the end, it captures the heart of the story, and offers some ideas and lessons to consider. Also, the acting and cinemaphotography are excellent.

Trailer from Netflix:

 

Simplicity and Service

When he was officially selected as Pope, he is quoted by many to have said, “I hope God forgives you.” He and the cardinals knew he would be a force of change for the Catholic Church, focusing on teachings of peace, humility, serving the poor, environmental stewardship, and being welcoming of all per the teachings of Jesus. Even many atheists, while some wished he would have gone even farther with certain topics, found this Pope to be an inspiration of hope for the future. He signaled this change by his actions on Day 1: “Pope Francis showed a preference for a simpler lifestyle and simpler cars. As a cardinal, he often used public transport. On the night of his election, he rode with the other cardinals in a minibus back to their hotel instead of using a papal limousine” (Popemobile).

 

To learn more about Pope Francis, the following are interesting reads:

 

Brigid in Reading Nook

This morning, Brigid was upset because our rental’s HOA was taking a small chain saw to trim trees and bushes around our patio. Loud! Then one guy even dared to step through the gate onto our patio, which had Brigid’s fur poofed out in response.  She became even more agitated when she saw chunks of the shrubbery fall to the ground.   

Time to exit that part of the house.  Perhaps the reading nook would be a more relaxing place for her right now. She still looks rather intense, and seems to be accusing me of something.

sable ferret on rocking chair by book shelves

Zap Wham Pow Boom!

,

My daughter shared something with me that I’m excited about, and I bet several people I know will find it interesting too. It’s an alternative to NaNoWriMo called Zap Wham Pow Boom!  Here’s a quick summary:

There are challenges for both readers and writers, each with their own thing to do during each phase. Also, there can be cross-over.

Focusing on the writing part: it is divided into three stages, each with their own month: planning, writing, and editing/revising. There’s also a month break between writing and editing, which is super important for those who need “fresh eyes” to edit their own work.

Also, the challenge happens twice per year: spring/summer and fall/winter. The fall challenge allows two months instead of one for the writing part (WHAM). People might just participate once per year, or they might be a reader one season and a writer the next. Do what works for you!

I’m grateful for the creator, Casey Jones, for imagining and organizing this. Click here for a video overview from Casey where she breaks it down.

For now, I’m lurking in the Discord group, enjoying the energy there. There are also other places where people are gathering, including Reddit.

 

“Sensory” – short film about autistic people’s experiences of hospitals (and the forest!)

Just watched this short video, and it’s excellent. Definitely worth sharing to promote understanding.

Description: Sensory is a film project about autistic people’s experiences of hospitals. It is a fictional film, but it is grounded in the real stories and experiences of East London Foundation Trust (ELFT) staff, patients and service users. The film was co-produced with autistic people, staff, and carers, and it has a fully neurodivergent cast.

 

 

After watching this film, I felt a strong urge to go to the nearest forest myself!

Helen and the Styrofoam

My friend recently reminded me of this moment (circa 2018), and I love revisiting this video. Helen came up to me, asking to get into the shower. She was covered in styrofoam and wanted to wash off. This video is me figuring out, in real time, exactly how that happened.

Lesson learned! Don’t start to open a box with packing material in it and then walk away for even a moment. Helen had dug a tunnel through the foam in the box. Luckily she didn’t ingest any of it!