Another Top 10 List!

Do you remember a few years ago when a “Top 10 list of books which have stayed with you” was the status that you were most likely to see on your Facebook page? It seemed like everybody jumped on that bandwagon.

And it was a good bandwagon. As a communication undergrad, I learned that stories are a great medium for communication, and I think that the stories we value most have a lot to say about us.

Well, today, I’m not going to bring back the “Top 10” list for books. Surprise!

Instead, I’m reworking it for a different type of story – saint stories. As a child, I loved reading about the lives of saints, and their biographies have remained inspirational for me even to the present day. Like books, I think the saints we have found most influential in our lives have a lot to say about who we are. Here are ten saints who have been influential in my life.

1.      Mary – specifically, Our Lady, Undoer of Knots: Besides praying (both before- and after-prayers) before meals (yes…we say both at the same time, before we eat), the only other tradition my family has on a daily basis is saying the Rosary as a family. I’ve found great comfort participating in this Marian devotion on a daily basis. More recently, though, I’ve learned about Our Lady, Undoer of Knots. Even the title fascinates me. When I pray for Mary’s intercession under this title, I ask for her to undo the knots in my life. The knots can be anything from a sin I struggle with to a difficult situation to a confusing relationship, and everything in-between. Visualizing my struggles as knots provides a very concrete way for me to ask Mary for help; and I know Our Lady will help unravel them.

2.      St. Therese of Lisieux: I first encountered “Little T” when I read her autobiography, “Story of a Soul,” in eighth grade. I chose her as my confirmation saint, but I really fell in love with her “Little Way” later in high school and college. I say a novena for her intercession every year and love celebrating her feastday. The struggles Little T faced resonate deeply with those I have experienced in my own life. But, even more encouraging to me, is knowing that I don’t have to become the foundress of an order or a martyr to become a saint (although it would be incredible to be either, in a hard way). I can live a humble, simple life and still become a saint. The tricky part is actually doing it.

3.      St. Augustine: Saint Augustine is not a saint who I would put on my list of “favorites” like Little T (no offence meant, St. Augustine), but he wrote a phrase that has stuck with me throughout the years: “You have formed us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless til they find rest in you.” Sometimes I remember it when I’m praying about something, and sometimes it nudges me when I listen to 80’s rock music (I’m looking at you, U2, cuz you still haven’t found what you’re looking for).

4.      Pope St. John Paull II: Every time I think I’ve reached the next level of Catholic-fan-girl, I find something new to love about JPII. I am grateful to him for many things, including the “Theology of the Body” discussion group that I’ve been a part of for a year and half now. He is inspiring and so brilliant that I ache to be a better person. His example makes me want to be holy. Side note: some of the best memes I've seen on Facebook are of him.

5.      St. Mother Teresa: This is the way I refer to her, whether it is correct or not – I apologize. I read a biography of her life a few years ago and decided that she is the bee’s knees. She set an example for loving everyone we come across. “Love begins by taking care of the closest ones – the ones at home,” she said, and “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” It is easy to think I might be holier if I were serving the destitute in the slums of Calcutta, but Mother Teresa reminds me that I have no excuse – I need to be loving and serving the people I see in my own house and in my life every day. Also, I love this quote of hers: “We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.”

6.      St. Philomena: This fourteen-year-old virgin martyr is pretty amazing. According to catholic.org, she is the only saint to be canonized based solely on the miracles worked through her intercession – nothing really is known of her from a historical perspective. However, a nun reported that St. Philomena appeared to her in a vision and revealed more information about her mysterious life; she had refused to marry Diocletian, a Roman emperor, and was martyred for it. But she didn’t die after scourging, multiple attempts to shoot her with arrows, and drowning. She did die, however, from beheading. I was captivated by her story as a young teenager, and though my fascination with her has diminished, I still think she is an excellent role model. If such a young woman could face torture and die for her faith, I ought to be courageous, too.

7.      St. Francis de Sales: A friend once sent me a quote of St. Francis de Sales (at least, it’s attributed to him) that she thought I would appreciate. I did appreciate it. “Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them – every day begin the task anew.” I loved it so much that every time I cleared out the texts in my dumbphone, I kept that one. Until I accidentally deleted it, at least. This man actually has many quotable quotes that hit where it hurts because they are spot-on, and his “Introduction to the Devout Life” is a great book to read.

8.      St. Joan of Arc: There was a time in my youth when I was convinced Saint Joan of Arc was going to be my confirmation saint. Her story captivated me – visions of saints, a call from God to lead the troops of France in war. Her bravery, her faith, her death – all spoke to me, a lover of adventure and action. I loved her, and I was very disappointed as a child because my birthday was just shy of landing on her feastday.

9.      St. Thomas Aquinas: This is another saint who is not necessarily a “favorite,” but he has influenced me all the same. I can read his works only piecemeal, but what I have read is extremely solid. He is brilliant. As a person who likes step-by-step instructions or explanations, I can say that his works fit the bill.

10.  Servant of God Father Emil Kapaun: This man is not a saint yet, but he’s on the road to canonization. And, he hails from my part of the country. Born in Pilsen, Kansas, this man served as a chaplain in the Korean War and served his fellow prisoners of war in the prison camp where he eventually died. If you ever get a chance, you should definitely read up on his life. Here, let me help you out. http://fatherkapaun.org/kapaun-contact-us/about-fr-kapaun . Now you have no excuse for not learning more.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about these amazing saints. I challenge you to think about the ten most influential saints in your life. Let me know!

Prayers of Thanksgiving

On the way to Jerusalem [Jesus] was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then said Jesus, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go on your way; your faith has made you well." Lk 17:11-19

There are four main types of prayer: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (Petition). The focus in the Gospel above is on two: Supplication and Thanksgiving. All ten of the lepers cry out to Jesus in supplication, asking for his mercy. This is wonderful--God explicitly tells us to ask him for things when we pray  (Mt 7:7). However, that's not all we need to do: the one leper that returns shows us it is equally important for us to thank God for the gifts he gives us.

We would not even have the ability to ask God for things if he had not given it to us--a gift for which he deserves our utmost thanks. Asking God for something and then not thanking him for it is like the story of the man who lost his keys: he looked everywhere and couldn't find them. He was about to be late for work, so he got on his knees and begged God to help him. "God, If you help me find my keys, I promise I'll never yell at another driver again!" The man got up and grabbed his coat, running out to the garage for a second look. As he stepped out, his foot slipped on something. He bent down and picked up his keys. He said, "Oh, never mind, God! I found them!"

Every single thing we could possibly think of is a gift from God, and with each new day he heaps upon us new gifts, if we choose to accept them. We always thank others when they give us a gift; is it not logical, then, to unceasingly thank the person who never stops giving?

Belle on the Brain

“I want adventure in the great wide somewhere / I want it more than I can tell…”

My favorite Disney princess sings this line in one of the most personally moving scenes of the animated classic “Beauty and the Beast,” and this line has been running through my head all evening. Honestly, the brunette brown-eyed bookworm known as “Belle” has been on my mind a lot lately – not just today.

Maybe it’s the hype that is surrounding the impending release of the new live-action movie in March. Maybe it’s my school-loaded mind trying to escape responsibility by dwelling on happy memories and familiar storylines. More likely than not, it’s probably the fact that I’m working on a Halloween costume that is inspired by one of her dresses from the movie.

In any case, my ponderings on “Beauty and the Beast” and have led me to the conclusion that this is one of Disney’s best princess movies, and it’s not just because I share some of the heroine’s physical features – although my 4-year-old self decided that was a great reason to love the movie.

Brown hair. Brown eyes. Loves books. Has eyebrows. Met a horse once. Yup – me and Belle are definitely twinning.

http://images4.fanpop.com/image/polls/798000/798179_1312748294131_full.jpg?v=1312748532

No, my love for this movie goes much further than surface-level similarities. I believe Belle experiences real situations that even the most average person faces at some point in his or her life, and it is this resonance with reality that lifts this film above a veritable sea of Disney movies.

Reality vs. Imagination

During the first part of the movie, Belle yearns for the chance to live an adventure like the ones she reads about in books. She walks through town preoccupied by a story that takes her far away from “this provincial life.”

I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve definitely connected with her situation. I’ve gotten lost in another world when reading books and living vicariously through the characters. I’ve also experienced the “book hangover,” where real life is so hard to jump back into because the book provided such an intense experience. I’ve wanted adventure and ached for that which I did not have.

And then Belle gets what she wants. “Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.” She goes on a quest to recover her father and ends up trading her freedom for his, resulting in her imprisonment in an enchanted castle that is ruled by a terrifying beast. The animated movie does not delve deeply into Belle’s reflections on her predicament, but the musical developed for stage productions explores her emotions here in the song “Home.”

"Home" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIEfW7bpEXg

“What I’d give to return to the life that I knew lately / And to think I complained of that dull provincial town,” she sings. I can’t claim any connection with her situation (imprisonment, loss of freedom and family), but I can certainly relate to her experience of accomplishing a dream only to realize it bears no similarities to the imagined conception of it. Disillusionment with a once-cherished idea is a universal experience, and one that Belle embodies poignantly.

Crossing Lines

As far as heroines went, I always thought of Belle as pretty flawless. She loves her father, gives the Beast a big second chance, and throws a mean snowball.

But then I remembered the West Wing.

Belle infiltrates the West Wing, the inner sanctum which the Beast expressly forbid her to enter. She nearly touches an enchanted rose before the Beast discovers her and flies into a rage, and then Belle runs away for fear of her safety.

All ends well enough, for Beast saves her from wolves in the snowstorm outside and Belle returns with him to treat his wounds and keep her promise. They argue about where the fault lies for Beast’s injuries:

Beast: “If you hadn’t run away, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Belle: “Well, if you hadn’t frightened me I wouldn’t have run away!”

Beast: “Well, you shouldn’t have been in the West Wing!”

Belle: “Well, you should learn to control your temper.”

Silence.

Belle wins. If Beast had better control of his emotions and hadn’t been so flustered by Belle’s appearance, they could have avoided this situation altogether. What’s the big deal with the West Wing, then?

The problem here is that Beast establishes a very clear boundary and Belle ignores it. He gives her as much freedom within the castle as he can without letting her leave and asks only that she not enter the West Wing. She violates this stipulation – not out of malice or revenge (although one does wonder, considering her plight), but out of curiosity.

Look at that face. Curiosity in its purest form.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/a8zmZV0akEs/hqdefault.jpg

The mystery is just too enticing – she must know the secrets of the West Wing. Although Belle is scared half to death by Beast’s reaction, she brings it upon herself by prying into a very personal place. She experiences the terrifying consequences of her decision, but she also puts the Beast through agony – the one place his secrets are safely hidden has been found out, his insecurities and vulnerability exposed.

I can recall times when I have asked one question too many, when I have been Belle in the West Wing of someone’s private struggles. This sort of trespassing does damage to our own souls and character, and it is easy to reflect on how this action or that decision has been detrimental to our own person – but what has our idle curiosity cost the other person? I think I’m not the only person who has encountered this situation before.

Beast might have serious flaws, but such flaws should never have been used as a justification for crossing a boundary he desperately needed to be respected.

Eucatastrophe

In his essay “On Fairy-Stories,” J. R. R. Tolkien defines eucatastrophe as “the consolation of fairy-stories, the joy of the happy ending: or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous “turn”…it is a sudden and miraculous grace: never to be counted on to recur.”

Every fairy tale ends with a happy ending, but Beauty and the Beast finishes with an ending that is worthy of Tolkien’s definition of eucatastrophe. Belle and the Beast don’t just experience a happy ending; they experience a happy ending that should not have happened.

Beast dies. (For the sake of this point, please ignore the fact that pretty much every Disney character who dies comes back to life). In many the other Disney fairy tales, the main characters don’t die (Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Aladdin, etc.). Belle held Beast as he died. Strike one.

Not only does Beast die, but whether or not the spell under which he was cast should have been undone is debatable. The spell stated that if before the last petal of his enchanted rose fell “he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return, the spell would be broken.” But Belle says “I love you” as the last petal falls. Should that really count as “before” the last petal falls? Her timing seems questionable to me. Strike two.

The spell also said only that the spell would be broken – i.e., that Beast would get to have his human form back. He was never promised to be given his life back if he should die even in the event that the spell was broken. Belle still would have ended up alone. Strike three.

In short, Belle should never have had a happy ending, but she still gets it. In fact, she gets a happy ending at the point at which it could not – no – should not be expected. So many things went wrong, but in the end, all inexplicably came out right. Eucatastrophe.

Tolkien says eucatastrophe is a proclamation of the Gospel in that it shows death does not have the final say and that there is joy beyond the realm of this life, but I think Belle’s unbounded joy at the realization of her happy ending is a universal experience. It might happen in a big way, but I think eucatastrophes happen all the time in the little ways: a random text from a friend, being asked out to a dance, coming home to fresh-baked cookies, the forming of a friendship. We don’t necessarily expect these hardly-hoped-for goods to come our way, and we can never assume that they’ll happen again, but these are the small miracles God gives us all the time without us deserving them.

This is the face every college student makes upon hearing that class is cancelled: eucatastrophe.

http://data.whicdn.com/images/88347380/large.jpg

There are so many reasons to love Beauty and the Beast, but I hope this reflection displays the real merit of this universally relatable film.

"Too Personal"

“‘He is my enemy,’ said Evan, simply; ‘he is the enemy of God.’

Mr. Vane shifted sharply in his seat, dropping the eye-glass out of his eye in a momentary and not unmanly embarrassment.

‘You mustn’t talk like that here,’ he said, roughly, and in a kind of hurry, ‘that has nothing to do with us.’

Evan opened his great, blue eyes; ‘God,’ he began.

‘Be quiet,’ said the magistrate, angrily, ‘it is most undesirable that things of that sort should be spoken about – a – in public, and in an ordinary Court of Justice. Religion is – a – too personal a matter to be mentioned in such a place….to talk in a public place about one’s most sacred and private sentiments – well, I call it bad taste…I call it irreverent.’”

What do you think you just read? A scene from a recent crime novel? A snippet of dialogue from a magazine serial I just read?

Guess again. The words I’ve quoted here originate in a book published over a century ago, “The Ball and the Cross” by G. K. Chesterton.

I hope you can see how relevant this passage is to our modern culture. When I picked up this book, I could not predict that I’d be floored by how applicable these words are to my own time. I felt as if rather than commenting on the society of his time, Chesterton had been granted a glimpse into the future and wrote for generations a hundred years away.

Maybe that is exactly what happened – I don’t know.

           
In any case, this passage resonated with me and I knew I needed to discuss what I found in these words.

I’ve grown up in a society where talking about God and faith has been discouraged. I’ve seen the above situation played out – not verbatim, but certainly in spirit – in situations from discussions about separation of Church and state to the awkwardness of bringing up my Catholic faith in non-religious settings.

           
“That has nothing to do with us,” society seems to say. Even within families this seems to be an issue. What’s the rule for Thanksgiving dinner? “Talk about anything except religion and politics.”

           
For a long time, I’ve subscribed to the view that religion underpins an individual’s worldview. It doesn’t matter if a person worships at the altar of God or at the altar of something lesser – fame, money, an ideal, science, oneself – everyone has a religion.

Religion provides the framework for life: if a person takes his or her faith seriously, that faith will help determine how this person lives. My Catholic faith affects how I work, who I go to for help, and (hopefully) how I interact with others at the most basic level. As even the magistrate recognizes, these are very personal matters and “one’s most sacred and private sentiments.”

Some might argue that religion is TMI, or too much information. It’s a topic that’s too personal, too taboo to mention in public. It makes people uncomfortable.

That’s my impression of how my modern culture feels. But, I would like to argue that when we lock out religion and discussions of faith, when we ban the topic from the public sphere, as a society we are saying that we don’t care about the one of the most fundamental elements of a person’s existence, and because of that, we don’t really care about the person.

It’s like saying that we want a person to create a public mural but their paints and tools and experience from art classes have to remain at home. Have you ever tried baking a cake without referring to the instructions or any of the lessons your mom taught you about kitchen safety? You just can't - at least, you can't do that and expect to have unburned fingers and a finished product anything like what you wanted it to be.
“Bring your skills and lesser qualities to work, but leave your immortal soul and your entire understanding of life at home.” That’s pretty utilitarian, but that’s how life seems sometimes. Forbid the thought that we should ever interact with integrated individuals who are the same person at home as they are at work or in the grocery store or at the park.

So what are we to do? We have two options: we can stay quiet about our faith and go with the flow like our culture tells us. Or, we could push ourselves to open up about our faith and how important it is in our lives. Religion is such a fundamental aspect of each individual that it shouldn’t be – it can’t be – swept under covers and kept out of sight.

So speak out. Tell the world what Jesus has done for you. Tell your coworkers and classmates and friends the real reasons why you act the way you do.

I know I’m going to keep quiet and mess up at times, but I am going to try to bring my Catholic faith to the world. It may not want such a personal element of me, but that is what I have to share with it.

Getting Deep About a White Christmas Dance Number

Today I am going to tell you all about my favorite movie dance number ever, gush over the many reasons why I enjoy it so much, and then get all deep about what I think it says about gender roles. In case you are wondering: Yes, I do tend to extrapolate large points out of frivolous movies. I also understand that Rom-Coms are actually horrible places to find any sort of truth about male-female relationships. However, I am just using this dance as an example to illustrate a larger point because I think it does so well.

Another disclaimer: I am no expert in dance so I cannot speak to the technical merits of this number. I can only talk about what I get out of it. As I address this, I’ll talk about the actors themselves, not about their characters as I think some of the things I address are best addressed to them, not their characters.

I’m really looking forward to this.

So, without further ado, I present,  “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing” from White Christmas featuring Vera Ellen as Judy Hanes and Danny Kaye as Phil Davis.

Now that you have watched the clip.  Go and watch it again and again.  Really let it seep into your soul.

Long have I loved this dance number.  Perhaps what I love most is that the point of the song is played out in the choreography. You can express yourself and get to know someone through dance in a way that you cannot in any other way. It is a beautiful point that is only driven home all the more by the effect that this dance number has on Judy and Phil’s relationship throughout the rest of the movie. But what would this scene be without the beautiful dancing?

I have always fawned over Vera Ellen’s lightness and precision of movement in the number.  I have dreamed of such grace while wearing such a dress.  I have pined for the opportunity to shine so thoroughly, to express myself by doing the things I “would not do at home [but that would] come naturally on the floor.”  One day I will dance like that!

Recently, however, I noticed something different. I realized that I had only been watching half of this dance.  I realized that I had been totally ignoring Danny Kaye.

Admit it.  When you were watching this, you weren’t paying any attention to the guy were you?

After I had this realization, I immediately turned around and watched Kaye exclusively through the whole dance. If I did not love this dance number before, I am totally enraptured by it now.  Danny Kaye is so graceful, so suave. He looks entirely contented, as if all is right in his world. And his dancing is so smooth.

I think one of the great beauties of this number is that the dancers always show great restraint in their movement and, in that, they are really able to shine.  At parts it is as if they are savoring the moment.  At others, it is a frenzy of activity.  This is especially interesting with Kaye.  If you watch him throughout the movie, he is a high energy guy. Seeing this kind of restraint from him is marvelous and impressive. And how about their easy chemistry, though? It’s so perfect that no one in the movie ever doubts that they’re going to get married.  Except Bing Crosby’s character Bob.  He calls Phil a “Weirdsmobile” at the idea…because Bob’s a a bitter, lonesome old man.

The progression of the dance is also worth note. It starts off slow with Kaye singing and Ellen coyly following along to his lead.  As they move down to center stage, you can see the dance becoming more flowery.  Ellen has bigger, more complex movements.  At one point (my favorite point), Ellen drops into a beautiful deep dip in synchronization to the word “naturally,” as if to punctuate the point of the song.  As the song goes on, Ellen more frequently runs off to start her own bit, which Kaye will follow and synchronize with.

In the last part of the number, the part where they return to center stage after dancing on the bridge and boat, I really enjoy watching their faces.  You can tell that they are both high on the dancing.  Ellen is in a flurry of activity and Kaye is totally working it, enjoying every second.  By the way, did you see that she trips over his foot right at the very end?

While they are dancing, did you notice that Ellen is always acting towards the audience. Kaye, however, is always paying attention to her and he seems to be overjoyed to be a part of the experience.  I think this goes to show again that the woman is basically always the star of any couple’s dance and the guy’s role is to support that. If you watch, you can see he is always paying close attention so as to catch his next move or to anticipate her needs.

Okay, so here I’m going to pull a comparison about men and women’s relationships.  If you become uncomfortable or angry and preachy when people agree with traditional gender roles and use Bible verses to do it, then you might want to retreat to a corner of the internet that always agrees with you.

I’m Catholic.  Often, at Catholic weddings, the Bible verse about “Women, be subordinate to your husbands.  Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the Church and laid Himself down for her” comes up.  When I watch Danny Kaye dancing with Vera Ellen here, I cannot help but be reminded of this Bible verse.  According to this Bible verse, men have to be willing to support women and appreciate their God given beauty, even if it means dying to themselves.  Kaye doesn’t really get a lot of attention in this dance.  He’s doing a stellar job, but he's not really the star.  Ellen is.  His role in the dance is supporting her elaborate and elegant moves.

Ellen, on the other hand, is not enslaved by Kaye’s lead.  On the contrary, she works within his parameters and shines all the more brightly because of it.  If she had decided to preempt his lead to dip her, she might have wound up on the floor in an undignified heap.  If she was too good to be helped by him, she would have had a slow and ungraceful time of getting off that boat.  However, because she is willing to work with him, we get a ridiculously graceful and fluid product.

Think I’m full of it? What do they say right after they finish? Ellen: “I guess I got carried away.” Kaye: “And she carried me right along with her.”

Yeah, guys, leave it to me to draw a deep point about human relationships out of an Irving Berlin dance number.

Gandalf and Speech Pathology

“Look out for me, especially at unlikely times!” –Gandalf, "The Fellowship of the Ring"

I learned much about the field of speech-language pathology this week: presentations, CPR, paperwork, professional communication, and specialized computer programs are just a few topics that came up this week.

In the midst of this overwhelming sea of new information, I found my knees shaking a little.

Don’t misunderstand: I am excited to dive into this field and I believe this will be an amazing experience.

However, I also know that there is a lot for me to learn. I approach the coming months with confidence, but not entirely without misgivings about how smoothly the weeks will go.

But in the midst of this newness and change, I found encouragement for my speech pathology pursuits in an unexpected place: Gandalf, my favorite character from my favorite book series, The Lord of the Rings. (Props to Gandalf, by the way, for appearing at an unlikely time in this case, just like he did for Frodo and Bilbo.)

What does Gandalf have to do with Speech Pathology?

As I learned from a presentation given a few days ago, when a speech therapist works with a client, the intent is to help the client communicate or swallow more effectively.

Other than Gandalf’s obvious affinity for talking, there’s not much this evil-fighting, horse-riding, adventuring wizard has in common with a speech pathology student. What’s the connection?

The connection lies not so much in what we do, but in how we go about doing our business.

I’ll start by laying out what speech pathologists are supposed do when they have a client referred to them.

Before a speech pathologist sees the client, he or she does research prior to an evaluation. Speech pathologists find out why the client is coming to them and look at family history and medical history (as long as it is made available – medical privacy is important). If questions remain, the speech pathologist may seek more information from the family or the referring doctor. When they finally meet for the evaluation, the speech pathologist administers tests and/or examines the client and finds out what he or she (the client) can and cannot do. The speech pathologist, based on expertise and testing, then writes down their recommendation – the client should receive services, should not receive services, etc.

Guess what? Gandalf researched too. When Bilbo left his ring to Frodo, Gandalf decided he needed to find out what exactly this ring was. Taking on the roles of both concerned parent and knowledgeable professional, Gandalf notices something that might be a problem and looks into it. He has some pieces of the puzzle – Bilbo found this ring, had it for x many years, ring appears to have y magical qualities. This is clearly a ring of power, Gandalf decides. But which one?

Thanks to his research, the wizard learns the history of a certain One Ring (which the bad guy is desperate to reacquire): after passing hands multiple times, it went missing. Also, he discovers that placing the One Ring in a fire reveals an inscription that proves it to be the One Ring that controls all the other rings of power. Finding this ring was kind of a big deal.

Gandalf returns to the Shire, has Frodo perform the fire test, and bam – Gandalf has some recommendations to make.

Research, tests, diagnoses – turns out Gandalf and speech pathologists engage in pretty similar activities. Let’s not forget that, like Gandalf, speech pathologists make a journey with the people they work with. Gandalf travels to the Lonely Mountain and across Middle Earth with specific groups, and speech pathologists “travel” through therapy with their clients.

And finally, when the time comes for clients to move on without services anymore, the professionals take their leave: professional speech pathologists dismiss their clients, and professional world-savers let go of the reins and travel across the sea.

Speech pathologists may not perform on as novel-worthy a level as Gandalf, but it is encouraging to me to know that exciting events can be rooted in what originally appears as mundane and ordinary tasks.

Give Me the Lobster!

It's an integral part of human nature: we always want what we can't have.

I recently viewed an episode of "How I Met Your Mother," in which a main character, Robin, wants to pursue a relationship rather abruptly because she's been told the other party has given up trying to win her over. Her friend, Lily, draws a parallel between this situation and the "Lobster Incident": Robin was told she was allergic to lobster and could never, ever have it again. Though it almost killed her, she immediately went out and ate a giant plate of lobster. Lily's point was that Robin only thinks she wants this relationship because she wants what she can't have, now that the door has been shut on a possible future.

What is our obsession with the forbidden? Why do we have a compulsion to do what is bad for us, especially when we know it's bad for us? Two reasons: 1. We remember the experience of past pleasure as better than it actually was, and 2. We are constantly seeking happiness; that frequently translates into gratifying, instantaneous pleasure.

Regarding the first point
Our memories are flawed; we tend to romanticize the past. For example, when Robin was told she could no longer eat lobster, she probably wanted it because in her memory, the brief experience of satisfaction and pleasure was so great that she gave it precedence over her health. When we recall minor pleasures, even if they had negative effects, we tend to maximize the memory of the pleasure and minimize, if not eliminate, memories of the negative consequences.

Regarding the second point
We instantly want things we have been told to avoid--but have not experienced for ourselves--because we imagine a pleasurable outcome. We become curious to try things people have told us to avoid. We imagine the experience will somehow be different for us, or that the other person is (for some reason) trying to prevent us from having a new experience of pleasure. We are constantly seeking happiness, and foolishly believe this happiness will come from experiencing pleasure. We operate under the error that pleasure and happiness are equivalent.

In fact, the reality of happiness--joy--is quite different, and the journey toward it often is quite lacking in pleasure. We have to suffer for it. It seems contrary to rational thought, but we didn't make the rules--we simply follow the example of the person who did it first: Christ. As St. Elizabeth Ann Seton said, "Can you expect to go to heaven for nothing? Did not our Savior track the whole way to it with his tears and blood? And yet you stop at every little pain."

It is a truth universally acknowledged that joy, pleasure, or accomplishment achieved without effort is worthless and unsatisfying. We cannot go anywhere without moving; we cannot ever have the experience of true joy without first knowing true sorrow and pain. We would have nothing with which to compare the experience, and the moment would be worthless. It is the biggest conundrum of life that we have to deny ourselves the instantaneous pleasures within our reach that are bad for us in order to grasp at the beginnings of real, hard-won joy.

No matter how much you think you want that lobster, it will never be enough.