If you don’t know the movie Ratatouille––a Pixar film about a rat who is a chef––you’ve missed a really beautiful reflection on the worthiness of everyone. See it if you haven’t.

In this particular story, Pixar does something unusual by developing two villains who both end up redeemed in the end, at least in part. (Skinner’s part is more subtle, but there’s a crucial scene when he is overwhelmed by delicious food that, to my mind, confirms the goodness that still lives deep inside him.) All the stuff going on happens among the protagonist characters, but it all comes down to the response of the imposing and imperious Anton Ego, a food critic whose word rules all. 

I won’t ruin it for those who haven’t seen the movie––because I sincerely hope they see it––but if you have, you know what happens when Ego puts it all on the line to speak up for someone who can’t speak up for themselves. Its a message about what each of us can offer when everyone––absolutely everyone––is allowed to embrace their passions and express themselves. 

This article recently reminded me about what an important and unlikely character Ego is, from the perspective of other food critics. It’s well worth a read. 

Allan T. Georgia, M.Div., M.T.S., PhD

Sometimes it is hard to tap into our spiritual selves or find time to nurture our intellectual curiosity. Here is a section that reflects on some nourishing materials from around the web and related media channels in order to get us thinking, get us feeling, and get us reflecting on the lives we are living in this big, beautiful world. **Some Adult/Mature Themes May Appear in Links and Other Attached Material**