Gratitude

What is Gratitude and Why Is It So Important?

Initial Thoughts

• Gratitude & appreciation are powerful tools for enhancing wellbeing by fostering positive emotions & reducing stress.
• Regular practices like gratitude journaling & expressing appreciation can improve relationships & increase life satisfaction.
• Cultivating a habit of gratitude promotes resilience & can lead to a more fulfilling life.

This is a recording of my favourite radio station when they do something called tell me something good. To me it shows an example of how gratitude can have a ripple effect in people’s lives.

When you feel down in the dumps or find yourself in a funk, how do you cope? Do you turn to junk food, self-medication, shopping, etc.? One healthy, powerful, and free strategy to rise from this temporary emotional state is to practice gratitude.

What is Gratitude – Its Meaning & Definition

Gratitude is an emotion similar to appreciation. The American Psychological Association more specifically defines this phenomenon as a sense of happiness and thankfulness in response to a fortunate happenstance or tangible gift. Gratitude is both a state and a trait. Better explained, one can experience gratitude for someone or something at a certain moment in time, and someone experiences gratitude more long-term as a positive character trait.

According to experts the feeling of gratitude involves two stages:

First comes the acknowledgment of goodness in one’s life. In a state of gratitude, we say yes to life. We affirm that, all in all, life is good and has elements that make it worth living. The acknowledgment that we have received something gratifies us, both by its presence and by the effort the giver put into choosing it.

Second, gratitude is recognizing that sources of this goodness lie outside the self. One can be grateful to our creator, other people, animals, and the world, but not to oneself. At this stage, we recognize the goodness in our lives and who we want to thank for it.

The two stages of gratitude make up how we recognize some of the goodness in our lives and then how this goodness came to us. Through this process, we recognize the fortune of everything that improves our lives and ourselves. Also, gratitude can be considered either a dispositional trait or a state of being.

As a trait, an individual practices gratitude as part of their daily life, and it is considered a character strength. It is important to remember that gratitude is a strength that can be enhanced with awareness and practice. When a person experiences the emotion from someone expressing gratitude for them, it is referred to as a state.

Why Is It Important to Be Grateful?

Experts believe that sometimes our expectations have changed meaning, that there is less gratitude in western society. Possessions and health are expectations for many individuals rather than considered personal ‘blessings’ that are appreciated. Experts say, “Gratitude has, for many, been replaced by disappointment, anger, and resentment when these expected ‘blessings’ either do not appear or they disappear”.

We have learned gratitude helps people focus on the positive aspects of their life. Gratitude can help build and maintain relationships with others, resulting in hope, life satisfaction, and more proactive behaviors toward others.

The Importance of Gratitude in Life

Gratitude is strongly related to wellbeing. The positive effects of experiencing and expressing gratitude are endless.

Gratitude has been found to be beneficially associated with social wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, and psychological wellbeing. It is no surprise that trait gratitude is an important “predictor of wellbeing and other desirable life outcomes”.

Gratitude appears to have a domino effect. If a person experiences gratitude, they are more likely to recognize the help and then later reciprocate that help. People who are thanked are presumably more apt to extend help to others in the future.

Likewise, people who are not thanked may not be expected to provide reciprocation in the future. The expression of gratitude is beneficial for both individuals and society.

Further, gratitude is an element in many religions. For example,

• Buddhism – Gratitude is indicative of the concept of dependent origination, which implies that everything is interconnected. For Buddhists, awareness of our interdependent and interconnected existence evokes gratitude for the web of life that sustains us.
• Judaism – Individuals practicing Judaism may start the day with Modeh Ani, a short Hebrew blessing thanking God for life.
• Christianity – Christians denote gratitude to God by stating blessings. These blessings are said in a prayer form and are created for food, family, life, and any other blessings that God may grant.

As if you needed any more convincing, in a review of the literature, the experts have found that gratitude has a positive connection with positive mood and feelings of happiness, life satisfaction, forgiveness, and a negative affiliation with substance abuse and neurosis, as well as an opposite relationship between gratitude and anxiety and depression.

The Iceberg of Gratitude

Gratitude is the act of recognizing and acknowledging the good things that happen, resulting in a state of appreciation.

Often when we consider what we are grateful for, obvious and important life experiences, circumstances, and events come to mind. We may feel grateful for our upbringing and family, our job, good health, and the opportunity to gain an education. While recognizing and being grateful for these experiences is important, our gratitude practice must also venture below the surface.

Below the surface, we find all the simple, everyday pleasures that often go unnoticed. This may be the great book we had time to read, the laugh we had with a friend, or maybe even the joy of eating chocolate ice cream in the sunshine. Whatever these simple pleasures may be, consciously expressing our gratitude for them can really help us grow our gratitude practice beyond the surface level.

How to Show Gratitude and Appreciation

Gratitude can be demonstrated in many ways. It can be shown with merely a simple, verbal “thank you” or it can be indicated by a more elaborate practice, such as the strategies detailed below.

To improve your gratitude, reflect on how better you can show your appreciation to others. When verbally expressing gratitude to someone, consider reflecting on your emotions and on the effort involved. Here are some examples:

‘Your birthday gift to me makes me overjoyed. I appreciate the length you went to in order to find this limited edition book by my favorite author. I value that you know me so well and did this especially for me.’

‘Mom, I am grateful for the life you have given me. Even though it took 15 hours to deliver me and raising me was full of challenges, you have done the best you could and I appreciate that.’

‘Our Father in Heaven, you have blessed me with ten fingers and ten toes, eyes to see and ears to hear. I am grateful for the wonder of your creation and for sparing my life every day.’

Gratitude Journal

A gratitude journal involves writing down a few things that you are thankful for and can be done daily or weekly as you so choose. Keeping a gratitude journal is a good first step toward establishing gratitude, and it will help you identify and reflect on people, things, or events for which you are thankful.

There was a study by Nawa and Yamagishi 2021 that involved university students. It concluded that completing a gratitude journal not only positively impacts academic motivation, but it also had a positive influence on us when we set goals for ourselves to achieve. Here is the study.

In this study, 84 students were placed into either an active manipulation group (gratitude group) or a neutral control group. For two weeks, the active manipulation group was asked to list five things they were grateful for and evaluate various aspects of their daily lives, while the control group was only asked to do daily self-evaluations. Unsurprisingly, the gratitude group demonstrated significant enhancements in academic motivation.

How to Write a Gratitude Journal

I thought we could finish class by watching another funny dog video. This is the one I promised to add since we didn’t watch it on Thursday.

May 15: Most Popular Breeds of Dogs in Canada Part Two

Bernese Mountain Dog

They can live from 7 to 10 years. They can be 23 to 27.5 inches tall and weigh from 70 to 115 pounds. They are very gentle and playful. This type of dog is a big, powerful dog that comes from Switzerland. They are working dogs that were used to pull heavy equipment on farms and guarding the livestock. Even though they are so big they are known as gentle giants around their owners. They are very smart, easy to train and very eager to please people. Even though they tend to be shy around strangers they make great family pets because they are gentle and affectionate with children.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

They can live from 12 to 18 years. Their height can range from 12 to 13 inches tall and their weight can range from 13 to 18 pounds. They are very playful and affectionate dogs. They have a very sweet and gentle nature. They don’t have a very high amount of energy and their small size makes them great lapdogs. They are also very adaptable and good with kids so they are good for families. Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are incredibly loyal and form very strong bonds with their family members. They don’t do well when they are left alone for long periods of time so despite their low energy they do better in a busy household.

Cockapoo

Cockapoos can live between 14 to 18 years. Their height can vary because of the mixed breed and their weight is between 10 to 30 pounds. They are a very happy and affectionate kind of dog. They are a cross between a cocker spaniel and a poodle. They are considered to be hypoallergenic, non-shedding and their friendly nature makes them a very popular family pet. Since their crossbreed their size, coat colour and personality very between dogs but they are generally easy-going. Just like the poodle they will need regular grooming to keep their coats healthy.

Border Collie

Border Collie’s can live up to 12 to 15 years. Their height can range from 18 to 22 inches and their weight range is from 30 to 55 pounds. They are very affectionate, hard-working and playful dogs. This kind of dog is a workaholic and can be too much for some owners. They will work all day and then going. They need a lot of stimulation and require a high level of activity to be happy. Most of them even have to be taught how to rest because they don’t know how to do it on their own. This is a herding breed and is easy to train and will happily train themselves if you don’t. They are incredibly loyal and affectionate to their owners but tend to be shy around strangers. They also have a very sensitive nature and that can lead them to becoming reactive if not addressed and trained properly.

Yorkshire Terrier

A Yorkshire Terrier can live from 11 to 15 years. There height ranges from 7 to 8 inches tall and their weight is about 7 pounds. They are very feisty, brave and can be a bit bossy. Don’t let their size fool you. Yorkshire terriers are very feisty and brave just like the other Terrier breeds. Their small size was bred for catching rats in the mines and mills of England long before they were carried around as pets. They are very comfortable being apartment dogs and are considered hypoallergenic for those with allergies. Yorkies are good watchdogs and happy to announce visitors or even cars driving by on the street. They have unique personalities that are entertaining and can give you years of laughter and love.

The Beagle

The Beagle can live from 10 to 15 years. There height can range from 13 to 15 inches and their weight ranges from 20 to 30 pounds. They are a very happy, independent and loyal breed. The Beagle is an independent dog breed that has excellent tracking skills. Once they smell something they have no trouble following it for miles. They are very happy and eager to please which makes them great companions. They are quite active but their strong tracking instincts mean that they do not do well off leash. They can easily dig under fences or scurry down holes to follow their prey of choice.

Boxer

A boxer can live from 10 to 12 years. There height ranges from 23 to 25 inches and their weight can range from 50 to 80 pounds. They are very playful, vigilant and friendly dogs. Boxes are very playful and they are great with children. A boxer is exceptionally watchful and takes his guard duties very seriously. They are brave and sometimes get themselves into trouble because they will take on any perceived threat they see for their loved ones. Because they are such good watchdogs, boxers need to be well socialized with people and other animals when they are puppies.

The Pug

The pug can live up to 13 to 15 years. There height can range from 10 to 13 inches and their weight ranges from 14 to 18 pounds. They are very curious and adaptive. Pugs are very well known for the wide variety of facial expressions they have. They can be very entertaining. They have an ability to express surprise and curiosity that delights their owners. They love to play and clown around just to make people laugh. They are very happy anywhere make ideal house or apartment dogs. There are good with kids or seniors. They are happy is only pets or with other animals. However, pugs enjoyed their food a little too much so owners have to take extra care with how much they’re feeding their dog in order to keep them at a healthy body weight.

Shih-Tsu

This breed can live from 10 to 18 years. There height can range from 9 to 10.5 inches and their weight ranges from 9 to 16 pounds. They are very mischievous and affectionate dogs. This small breed dog is particularly loving towards children and makes a great pet if you don’t have any yard space. They are good lapdogs and have a lower exercise requirement than other breeds. They love to entertain and will provide you with plenty of laughs. Their big dark eyes are very charming and will help them win your heart.

I thought we could finish class by watching another funny dog video.

May 13: Most Popular Breeds of Dogs in Canada

Jean Luc’s Dogs

Labrador Retriever

They can live up to 10 to 12 years and be 21.5 to 24.5 inches tall. They can weigh 55 to 80 pounds. They tend to be very friendly, playful, and energetic. The Labrador retriever has been at the top spot of Canada’s most popular dog breed for over 30 years! This kind of dog is great with children, active, playful, kind, and gentle. They love to spend time with their family and because they have a high intelligence they are easy to train. They need a lot of action and need to be busy. They need a lot of opportunities to burn off their energy otherwise they tend to be destructive.

Golden Retriever

They live from 10 to 12 years. Their height is between 21.5 to 24 inches tall and their weight is between 55 to 75 pounds. They are very loyal, affectionate and active. Golden retrievers are loving and loyal dogs. But they are also known as a working breed so they take their jobs seriously and are relatively easy to train. They are known for their need to please and will do just about anything to make their owners happy. Their friendly disposition and strong work ethic make them a very popular choice for guide dogs and family companions.

German Shepherd

The German shepherd’s life expectancy can be from 12 to 14 years. Their height can range from 22 to 26 inches tall and they can weigh from 50 to 90 pounds. They are very loyal breed and are also known as a working breed. German shepherds are a very high energy working dog that needs plenty of exercise and mental stimulation so that they are happy. They are incredibly loyal to their family members but can sometimes be kind of standoffish to people that they don’t know. Since they have guarding tendencies they need a lot of socialization as puppies to help them from becoming overly reactive.

Standard Poodle

They can live from 10 to 18 years of age. Their height will most likely be over 15 inches tall and their weight can range from 40 to 70 pounds. They had are a very intelligent and friendly breed of dog. The standard poodle is the most popular poodle breed in Canada. You can also find these dogs in miniature and toy size. All sizes of this breed are highly intelligent. Even though they have a reputation for being pampered they are hard-working dogs that are happy to join you on any outdoor activity. They are one of many hypoallergenic dog breeds because they don’t shed. They do however need regular grooming appointments because of the fact they don’t shed.

French Bulldog

They can live up to 10 to 12 years. Their height can go from 11 to 13 inches and they can weigh up to 28 pounds. They are a very outgoing, adaptable and loving dog. French bulldog have become more popular in recent years and have the top spot as the most popular small breed in Canada. Their loving personality makes them an excellent companion dog and they are adaptable to any living situation. They need a moderate amount of exercise and they’re happy with one or two walks a day with plenty of time to lay around in between. This means they be a fantastic dog choice for apartment living and for people who may not have the space or time to manage high energy breeds.

Havanese

They can live between 14 to 16 years. Their height can range from 8.5 to 11 inches tall and their weight can range from 7 to 13 pounds. They are very intelligent, gentle and affectionate. This type of dog is highly intelligent and easily trained. They get along well with children and other animals. This is also a popular breed for emotional support and therapy dogs. Even though they are small they are vocal and athletic. They are very good when doing dog agility sports and have an exceptionally high amount of energy that needs to be burned off regularly on walks. They also tend to be quite vocal about their need for companionship. They should not be left alone for long periods of time.

I thought we could finish class today by watching a funny dog video.

Rainbows

• A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon caused by a reflection, refraction and dispersion of light droplets resulting in the sight of a rainbow in the sky.
• A refraction happens in physics when there is a change in direction of a wave of light from one medium wave to another medium or there is just a change in the medium wave of light itself.
• Dispersion of light means the way the light moves and drops creating the colour.
• Spectrum is the technical name for rainbow because it takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc.
• Rainbows that are caused by the sun will always appear in the section of the sky exactly opposite of the sun
• Rainbows can be in full circles however our eyes only usually see the arc.

• In a rainbow that we commonly see called a primary rainbow, the colour red is on the outer part and the colour violet is on the inner side of the rainbow.
• This is caused because light enters a droplet of water and then you can see the reflection on the back of the droplet again when the light leaves the droplet.
• Sometimes we’re very lucky and we can see a double rainbow. We can see a second arc that is outside the first arc.
• In this type of rainbow, the colours are reversed with the red on the inner side of the arc.
• This happens because the light gets reflected twice on the inside of the droplet for it moves through the droplet.

• Because our rainbow is not located at a specific distance from the person seeing it, it is known as an optical illusion.
• A rainbow is not an object and cannot be physically approached. You could not actually touch a rainbow.
• If two people are looking at a rainbow each person will see it differently and it will be a different rainbow to each of them.
• The human eye sees the colours of the rainbow and remembers them.
• The most common memory of colour is based on Isaac Newton’s theory. They are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.
• Rainbows can because by many different forms of airborne water. Some of them are rain, mist, spray, and dew.

Let’s look at how I double rainbow is formed.

Visibility

• Rainbows can be seen whenever there are water drops the air and the sun is shining behind the person seeing the rainbow.
• Rainbows can be seen in the western sky in the morning and the eastern sky during the early evening.
• The best rainbows are seen when half the sky is still dark with rain clouds and the person seeing the rainbow is in a spot where the sky is clear and sunny.
• This rainbow is called a luminous rainbow and it contrasts with the darkened background.

• When the conditions are right like this you can sometimes setting or a larger but fainter secondary rainbow. It can appear about 10° outside the primary rainbow with the colours reversed.
• Isaac Newton was not able to distinguish colours very well. In 1672 he originally divided that rainbow spectrum into five main colours. The colours were red, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
• He later included orange and indigo. He chose to divide the rainbow into seven colours because he believed something similar to ancient Greek scientists. They thought there was a connection between the colours, musical notes, the solar system and the days of the week.
• Today scholars have noted that what Newton thought was blue today would be the colour cyan and what he called indigo would be blue.

Let’s look at some different types of rainbows.

Culture and Mythology

• Rainbows happened a lot in mythology and have also been used in the arts.
• One of the earliest occurrences of a rainbow is in the Bible in the book of Genesis chapter 9.
• It is part of the flood story of Noah where it is a sign of God’s covenant to never destroy all life on Earth with a global flood again.

• Also, in Irish folklore it is the Irish leprechaun’s secret hiding place for his pot of gold. This place is impossible to reach because the rainbow is an optical illusion which could not be approached.

• Rainbow flags have been used for centuries. It was used as a symbol of the cooperative movement in German Peasants’ war in the 16^th century.
• It also resembled peace in Italy and of great pride and LGBT social movements since the 1970s.
• In 1994 Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Pres. Nelson Mandela described the post-apartheid South Africa as the rainbow nation. The rainbow has also been used in technological logos for the Apple Computer.
• When there are a lot of political alliances that include many political parties, they have been known to call themselves all rainbow coalition.

Here are some more amazing rainbows from around the world:

A song by Casey Musgrave called Rainbow live in Montréal.

I’m sure you all know this. I thought it would be a nice way to end our class about rainbows.

May 6: Birds in Canada

American Robin

Identifying Characteristics

A beautiful bird that features a rusty red breast and dark head and back. You can look for a white throat and a white marks around the eyes. Both sexes are similar except the females are lighter in colour. They are one of the most familiar birds in Canada they live in a wide variety of habitats and naturally are found everywhere from forests to the tundra. But they are comfortable around people and are common birds that we can see in our backyard. American robins rarely use birdfeeders because they don’t like seeds. Their diet consists of invertebrates such as worms, insects and snails. But they also can be seen eating fruit. They are often seen making nests near people. You can look for an open cup shaped nest that has 3 to 5 beautiful, very distinctive sky blue coloured eggs.

Downy woodpecker

Identifying Characteristics

These woodpeckers have a short beak and are relatively small. They have white bellies and a mostly black back that has streaks and spots of white. Male birds have a very distinctive red spot on the back of the head and the females don’t. They are one of the most common birds you can find in Canada. You will probably recognize them because they are seen mostly in our backyard. The best food you can use to attract this kind of bird are suet, sunflower seeds and peanuts, and even peanut butter. You may even see them drinking sugar water from your hummingbird feeder if you have one.

Hairy Woodpecker

Identifying Characteristics

Harry woodpeckers have a striped head and have a straight-backed posture while they are on trees. Their bodies are black-and-white all over with a long chisel like beak. Male birds can be identified by a red patch at the back of their heads and females do not have that. Harry woodpeckers are common birds in Canada and they are mostly seen in mature forests, backyards, parks, swamps orchards, and even cemeteries. They can be found in areas where there are lots of large trees.

American Goldfinch

In the summer male birds are a vivid yellow with a black cap of colour on their head and black wings. Females are a lighter yellow in colour and lack the black. In winter both sexes look the same and turn a pale brown olive colour. They are only identified by their black wings and white winged bar. These small and colourful birds are common in Canada and they are attracted to your own backyard. American goldfinches love feeding on seeds that not many other birds eat. They also like eating sunflower kernels. It is helpful to include birdfeeders that are designed for these birds because they are scared off by larger birds. They can eat in any position even upside down. These birds are strict vegetarians. Their diet is exclusively made was seeds and no insects. Naturally they feast on seeds from asters, thistles, sunflowers, grasses and many other types of trees. Lastly, because of their diet they breed later than other birds. They actually wait until June or July when most plants are in full seed production. This helps to make sure there is enough food for them to feed their babies.

House Sparrow

Identifying Characteristics

Males have grey crowns, black bibs, white cheeks and a chestnut colour on the sides of their face and neck. Their backs are mostly brown with black streaks. House sparrows compete with many other native birds such as bluebirds and purple martins for nest cavities. They tend to win more times because there invasive and push around other birds. Females are a light brown colour with streaks of black on their backs. Underneath they are light brown. They can be distinguished by the tan line that extends behind their eyes. House sparrows are an invasive. They originally are from the Middle East and now are one of the most abundant and widespread birds in Canada and even the world. They can be seen in most urban and suburban areas and this is because of their ability to adapt and live near humans. They love grains and are commonly seen eating bread and popcorn at amusement parks, sporting events and other activities.

House Finch

Identifying Characteristics

Adult males are a rosy, red around their heads and upper body. They have brown streaks on their back, tail, and belly. Females are brown with streaks on the back, teal, and belly. Both sexes have narrow and pointed beaks that are designed to eat seeds and notched tales. It is very common to see these birds in Canada near people. They can be seen around buildings, backyards, parks and other urban and suburban areas. House finches are often the first birds to discover new birdfeeders. They are very curious and rarely travel alone so other birds can see them more easily, which helps them find the feeder too.

American Crow

Identifying Characteristics

They are a very large bird and are fully black with an iridescent, shiny sheen. They have long black bills, black legs and black feet. American crows are very adaptable birds and very common in Canada in almost every habitat. They can be found in places like woodlands, fields, rivers, marshes, farms, parks, landfills, golf courses, cemeteries and neighbourhoods. They like to eat whole kernel corn and suet. Believe it or not, American crows are one of the smartest birds in Canada.

Song Sparrow

Identifying Characteristics

Their chest has brown streaks that come together on their central breast spot. Their head has a brown crown with a grey stripe down the middle. Also look for a grey eyebrow and cheek. Their back and bodies are mostly a rust brown colour with grey streaks over their body. Song Sparrows can be difficult to see because of how many types of sparrows there are and the fact that they look very similar. These birds are common in Canada especially in wet, shrubbery, and open areas. Unlike the other birds that nest in trees song sparrows primarily nest in weeds and grasses. A lot of the time you will find the nesting directly on the ground.

I thought we could unclasp by watching a funny video.

Happy Birthday Christine!

Today were going to celebrate Christine and enjoy some of the things that she enjoys the most.

Funny Game Show Answers

1950s Movies That Were Very Popular

A funny moment from Ellen

A video about the show Speechless

Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts with James Corden

Tiny Tim

April 29: Pope Francis

Who Was Pope Francis?

• Pope Francis served as the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from March 2013 to April 2025.
• He was the first pope from the Americas and he took his papal title after St. Francis of Assisi of Italy.
• Before becoming Pope, he spent more than a decade as Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church of Argentina and Archbishop of Buenos Aires.  
• He was also the president of the Bishops Conference of Argentina from 2005 to 2011.
• In 2013 he was named the Person of the Year by Time magazine.
• His time as Pope was characterized by his humanity and outspoken support of the world’s poor and marginalized people.
• He advocated for peace and the protection of the environment.
• After months of his health declining, he died in April 2025 at the age of 88.

Early Life and Education

• Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 17, 1936. His parents Mario and Regina are Italian immigrants.
• When he was young he underwent surgery to remove part of one of his lungs due to a bad infection.
• He graduated from a technical school as a chemical technician before starting the training at the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto.
• In March 1958, he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus.
• He taught literature and psychology at the Immaculate Conception College in the Argentinian province of Santa Fe in 1964 and 1965.
• The next year he taught the same subjects at the College del Salvatore in bonus Aries. He studied theology at the College of San Jose from 1967 to 1970.
• After finishing his degree, he finished his doctoral thesis in theology and Freiburg, Germany in 1986.

Priesthood

• Pope Francis became a Roman Catholic priest in his early 30s. He was ordained as a Priest in December 1969 and began serving as a Jesuit provincial of Argentina in 1973.
• He said that at first his mother didn’t approve of this decision to enter the priesthood even though she was a devout Catholic. By the time he was ordained however she accepted his calling and asked for his blessing at the end of his ordination ceremony.
• He returned to the College of San Jose where he served as Dir. from 1980 to 1986 and was a professor of theology as well.
• On May 20, 1992 he was named titular Bishop of Auca and auxiliary of Buenos Aires he was ordained into that position a week later.
• After Pope John Paul II’s death in April 2005 Pope Francis was thought to have received the second most votes in the papal conclave. However, Pope Benedict the 16^th was chosen as Pope John Paul’s successor.  

Papal Years

• On March 13, 2013, when he was 76 years old he was named the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
• His ideals and issues that were important were admired all over the world.
• The media quickly picked up on the stories of his humanity. The news picked up on the fact that he returned to the boardinghouse where he had been staying to pay his bills personally rather than sent an assistant and he chose to live in a simple two room apartment rather than live in the luxurious papal accommodations in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.
• Because he chose to live more simply, Pope Francis broke a tradition that had been alive for more than a century.
• When he addressed a crowd of tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square he stated, “as you know the duty of the conclave was to appoint a bishop of Rome. It seems to me that my brother cardinals have chosen one was from far away. Here I am. I would like to thank you for your embrace.”
• President Barack Obama had this to say when Pope Francis was elected to be Pope in 2013, “as the first pope from the Americas, his selection also speaks to the strength and vitality of a region that is increasingly shaping our world, and alongside millions of Hispanic Americans those of us in the United States share the joy of this historic day.”
• He also provided more open and accepting views and interpretations on key issues that the church had definite doctrinal views about.
• He never shied away from elaborating on his views and he showed everyone how it important it was to be open and accepting. He was quoted as saying “who am I to judge”. This was a comment he made when he was referring to homosexuality. This helped to portray him as a compassionate conservative whose views are often considered very progressive compared to those of his predecessors.

Documentary and Autobiography

• Pope Francis: A Man of His Word debuted at the 2018 Cannes Music Festival.
• It is a documentary written and directed by Wim Wenders. It outlined the Pope’s reform work and his answers to today’s global questions that ranged from death, social justice, immigration, ecology, financial inequity, materialism, and the role of the family. The movie follows the Pope on his journeys around the world to places like the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem and Ground Zero to the Holy Land and Africa.
• He became the first sitting Pope to write an autobiography. Hope: The Autobiography was published in January 2025 in more than 80 countries. He reflected on his early life and his Papacy in the book.

Declining Health and Death

• Pope Francis was hospitalized for different health conditions towards the end of his life. In 2023 He Had Hernia Surgery in June and spent three days in the hospital in March for bronchitis.
• In February 2025 was rushed to the hospital for another time for bronchitis which quickly developed into a respiratory tract infection and pneumonia in both of his lungs.
• After he experienced something like asthma he was given supplemental oxygen to help his breathing.
• His blood test results revealed that he also had mild kidney disease and he was said to be in critical but stable condition at that time.
• After five weeks he was discharged from the hospital in late March 2025. On his way back to Vatican City he stopped to make his first public experience in over a month at Rome’s Basilica.
• Pope Francis died a month later on April 21, 2025 in Vatican City he was 88 and just delivered an address for Easter Sunday the day before.
• Before he died he made a point of requesting scaled-down funeral rites which was important to him for his lifelong feelings for humanity.
• He also requested to be buried at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major and not at the Vatican like other popes. It was important to him to be close to his favourite icon the Madonna.

I thought we could finish the class on Pope Francis by watching a video about his life and the most important moments during his time as Pope. I realize this videos a bit long but I thought it did justice to all his work and the issues important to him.

Spring Flowers

Spring is that wonderful time of year when the temperatures rise and flower buds open and explode with a variety of colourful blooms. We are all filled with feelings of renewal and optimism and anticipation of the beautiful weather. Spring is also a time when we begin to see beautiful colours of flowers and varieties of different kinds of flowers and blooms. It is a time when we plan our gardens full of bulbs and perennial flowers. Here are some spring flowers that you will see in people’s gardens or even in your house.

The Peony Flower

All peonies flower in early summer. If you plant a combination of early, mid and late bloomers you can extend the peony season a bit longer. They are ideal plants with other early summer flowers such as the iris and roses. Peonies are rarely bothered by disease or pests and it takes at least two or three years for a young peony plant to flourish but once it does it will bloom reliably year after year. They are fantastic for cut flowers and last four days in a base and a very fragrant.

Daffodils

Nothing says “spring” more than beautifully coloured daffodils. These bulbs bloom up to six weeks in the early spring, and come in white, yellow, orange, bicolor, and pink. Most of the 32,000 flowers have a short, protruding cup in the center of the flower, surrounded by six flat petals. They have strap-like leaves that grow from the bulb, and the plants stand between six and 30 inches high. Daffodils are beautiful in the garden, as cut flowers, and in containers indoors and out.

Tulips

These pretty spring bulbs have been hybridized extensively, with nearly 4,000 colours and varieties. The cup- or star-shaped flowers sit individually atop blue-green stems with two to six leaves, and their petals are every color except blue, in solid colors or stripes. Tulips can grow from anywhere from four to 30 inches tall and are categorized as early-blooming, mid-season, or late-blooming types. They can be grown in containers, in the garden, or as beautiful cut flowers.

Hyacinth

These flowers are a cheerful pink, purple, blue, or white colour and give us a beautiful color to a spring garden and are often sold as potted indoor plants around Easter. Their highly fragrant, star-shaped flowers grow in clusters along a short stem, with upward-growing leaves.

Crocus

The crocus flower blooms in the spring and it is one of the earliest flowers to bloom. They are delicate cup-shaped flowers with pointed petals and come in pink, blue, purple, yellow, orange, and white. They have grass like leaves that grow from the bottom of their 6 inch stems.

Lily of the Valley

these are beautiful, shade-loving wildflowers, lily of the valley grow six to 12 inches high with small, white, fragrant flowers hanging down like bells in a line up a bare stalk. The flowers bloom for about three weeks in the spring and develop into small reddish berries. One or two broad leaves grow from the bottom of the stalk, and the plant spreads by underground bulbs.

There is a lot of meaning and symbolism about the lily of the valley.

The Iris

The Iris are elegant flowers named for Iris the Greek goddess of the rainbow. There are about 300 different kinds of Iris and thousands of flowers that bloom from spring into the summer and have a blend of every colour you can imagine. They range in height from 6 inches to 4 feet and grow from bulbs. They have single or branch stems with sword shaped leaves and unique looking flowers. They have three petals that curl upward and are called standards and three petals that bend down and there called falls.

Azalea

Azalea flowers are very colourful and bloom in late spring throughout the northern hemisphere. There are about 800 species of flowers and they love growing in the shade. There are more than 10,000 registered varieties of azaleas. Most of them are deciduous (meaning they lose their leaves every year) but some are evergreen and range in height from 2 to 8 feet. The flowers cover the bushes with lavender, white, pink, salmon, or red blooms.

Lilacs

Lilac flowers are very fragrant. There are approximately 12 species of shrubs or small lilac trees. The most commonly grown kind in the US is the common Lilac. The four petaled flowers are one third of an inch across and grow in cone shaped clusters or something called panicles or clusters) at the ends of the branches. They range in colour from purple to pink or white, bi-colour (or two different colours) and even yellow. The blue-green leaves are heart-shaped and the trees between four and 15 feet tall.

The Magnolia

These ancient trees are often seen as a symbol of the Deep South. Magnolias are deciduous or evergreen, and they range in size from eight to 100 feet tall. Their large, fragrant, cup- or star-like flowers come in white, pink, purple, or yellow, and distinctive cones with red berries develop in the fall. Their flowers bloom in the spring before the leaves appear on deciduous species, and in the late spring to summer on evergreen trees.

Here is a short documentary about these beautiful trees.

April 22: Precious Animals in TV and Movie History Continued

Dino: The Flintstones

Dino was first seen in the pilot episode of the Flintstones. His name was never mentioned until the fourth episode. He was a dinosaur with doglike qualities. Dino was voiced by Mel Blanc who was also the voice of Barney Rubble. Dino appeared in many of the spinoffs that have followed Flintstones.

Scooby Doo Where Are You?

Do you really think you can call Scooby of pet considering he is the lead character in several animated series, TV movies and feature films? It began with the 1969 TV show called Scooby Doo, Where Are You? Scooby is a great Dane owned by Shaggy Rogers. Scooby and his four teenage friends travelled around in their van that was called the Mystery Machine. They solved crimes and mysteries together.

Santa’s Little Helper: The Simpsons

After Homer used the Christmas money to remove Bart’s tattoo he took what little he had, went to the dog racing track and bet on Santa’s Little Helper who came in last. When the dog’s owner abandoned him, Homer and Bart brought the dog home, making it a merry Christmas after all. Santa’s Little Helper has been the Simpson’s pet ever since.

Kermit and Miss Piggy

Kermit the frog and Miss Piggy have a confusing on-and-off relations that goes on for decades. They started together as coworkers and friends the short-lived ABC show the Muppets. In the movies Kermit eventually marries Miss Piggy in the Muppets Take Manhattan.

Zeus and Apollo: Magnum PI

Doberman Pinchers Zeus and Apollo were Higgins’ beloved, exceptionally loyal, and highly trained dogs who helped patrol the Robin’s Nest estate. They were played by several different canines throughout the series run, sometimes males, sometimes females. The producers considered writing the dogs out of the show in order to save money in season 4 but Tom Selleck and John Hillerman didn’t want the series to continue without “The Lads” and so they were saved.

Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh is the main character. He is sometimes called Pooh or Edward Baer. He is a good-natured, has yellow fur, and loves honey. He lives in the forest surrounding the Hundred Acre Wood. It is modelled after Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, England.

Tigger the Tiger

He is a fictional character. He has orange fur with black stripes. He was originally written about in A.A Milne’s book called The House at a Corner. He can be easily recognized by his beady eyes, long chin, springy tail, and bouncy personality.

Garfield and Odie

Garfield is described as being sarcastic, lazy and always hungry. His favourite food is always lasagna. His owner’s name is John Arbuckle and he is a man with boring nerdy past times. He has another pet and his name is Odie. He is a yellow dog and Garfield has to get used to him and they both have to get used to living with each other.

Wishbone the TV Series

Wishbone is a Jack Russell Terrier. He is owner is Joe Talbot. Wishbone has a wealth of reading knowledge. Wishbone helps his owner Joe and his friends face certain problems and compares them to classic stories where he frequently sees himself as the main character.

The Littlest Hobo

The littlest hobo aired from 1979 to 1985. His name is London. He is an extremely intelligent German shepherd that wanders and walks into a different place in each episode of the television series. He always stumbles upon people that are down on their luck or in trouble. London always befriended and helped the struggling person or persons. His job is always done at the end of the show he always leaves at the end of the show to continue his cross-country drifting instead of being the pet of people he has helped.

I thought we could finish class by watching an episode of Tiny Tim in honour of Easter.

Happy Easter Everyone

This year Easter falls on Sunday, April 20th. It is a holiday that is very important to Christians all over the world. It’s the story of Jesus’s death and resurrection but it also has other festivities for people to enjoy as well. Adorable bunny rabbits, colourful decorations, and let’s not forget lots of yummy chocolate. The celebration of Easter has changed over the years but there is always a lot of different customs that are both old and new. Before we start I know you all like to watch videos with animals and cartoons so I thought we could enjoy this video to start off our Easter celebration weekend. Enjoy!

Let’s look at some interesting Easter facts that you might not have heard about before.

Easter Baskets Have Special Symbolism

The woven baskets that carry our treats represent birds’ nests and new life. This is especially true when they are filled to the very top with Easter eggs. Also, they are a pretty great way to gather goodies on your Easter egg hunt.

Easter Lilies Are a Relatively New Tradition

These beautiful blooms first came from Japan and arrived in England in the late 18^th century. The United States and Canada only found out about these lilies after World War I. The transition from bulbs to delicate flowers brings us to think about hope and rebirth. These are two very important themes of the Easter celebration.

Easter Eggs Have Medieval Origins

Easter egg hunts are our tradition on Easter for children. Here is a medieval game that children used to do: a priest would give one of the choirboys a hard-boiled egg and the boys would pass it among themselves until the clock struck midnight. Whoever was holding onto it got to eat it.

Easter Clothes Used to Be Considered Good Luck

An old superstition said that if you wore new clothes on Easter you would have good luck for the rest of the year. It was so believed that the upper-class New Yorkers would literally show off their new clothes while coming out of attending Easter mass. This tradition became the basis of the modern and more higher class people. They would have an Easter parade and Easter bonnet Festival in New York.

Easter Eggs Date Back before Easter

There is some evidence showing that Easter eggs started from medieval Europe and that Christians may not have actually been the ones to start the tradition of giving eggs. They are a symbol of fertility and rebirth in many other cultures around the world.

The Holiday Was Named After the Anglo-Saxon Goddess Eostre

Scholars believe that Easter was named after a festival celebrating Eostre. She is the German goddess associated with spring and the dawn. She was worshipped by the German people of Europe before the rise of the church. She is believed to be the namesake of the Christian holiday of Easter. Her sacred symbols are believed to have been the rabbit and the egg, which is why they are so prominent in Easter symbolism too.

Eggs Are Dyed to Represent the Blood of Jesus Christ

That might be one of the reasons and it stems from early questions and Mesopotamia. There isn’t a definite reason behind the tradition but that is one of the theories. It may be as simple as they look pretty and kids might be more likely to eat a pretty hard-boiled egg than just a plain one.

We Can Thank Germany For the Bunny

This idea of the Easter Bunny delivering candy and a came from Germany during the Middle Ages. The first written story of this tradition goes back to the 16^th century.

More Than 1.5 Million Cadbury Creme Eggs Are Made Every Day

The Bournville factory in Birmingham England makes 500 million of the cream filled eggs every year. Believe it or not a fun fact is if you piled all of those eggs on top of each other they even create a tower that’s even taller than Mount Everest.

Around 90 Million Chocolate Bunnies Are Sold for Easter in North America

Believe it or not $237 million is spent on Easter bunnies and chocolate in Canada each year.

A Surprising 59% of People Eat the Bunny’s Ears First

Only a handful start with the feet or tale. The rest apparently don’t have any plan they just eat it.

In the old days, Pretzels Were Associated with Easter

Why is this you ask, well it’s because the twists of the salty treat are thought to resemble arms crossing in prayer.

Happy Easter everyone! I thought we could finish class by watching some cute animal Easter videos.