The Tale of Two Images: Donald Trump and Kate Middleton

We live in a 24-hour news cycle and still, news is always breaking. Or let me put this into the double negative—news is never not breaking. Regardless, certain stories rise above the fray. Some matters are more newsworthy than others. They capture our attention and characterize our conversation....and they should. We listen and lean in to learn more. We seek to understand. We celebrate and grieve. We question and ponder. How do you make sense of current events? What helps you process?

I talk to people I trust. I listen to podcasts and read from certain web sources. Social media offers information (and misinformation), video reels and reports and photographs. Images are not in short supply and yet, like the news stories, certain ones capture a moment or a feeling. They stay with us and have helped me make sense of the world today. Such is the story of two contrasting pictures that punctuated news of this past weekend. They feature two very different events and people: Donald Trump and Princess Catherine.

The first was taken following the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday evening on July 13, 2024.

After shots were fired by the lone gun man, Trump was immediately rushed offstage to his motorcade, with blood visible on his right ear and streaking across his cheek. He pumped his fists and shouted “Fight!” to the crowd before being driven away. This image quickly emerged as the visual cover to this story. Many of his supporters continue to promulgate it for the message its sends is unapologetic. 

In my class, I offer a number of definitions of the word "spiritual" or "spirituality." A fair question to ask is Is this image spiritual? Strangely enough, I think it is.

I see a man who is downright defiant. He was given a chance to defer to the secret service—to emerge vulnerable and show fear. Instead, he makes a point to react with resistance. He is not humble; he is angry. Perhaps his approach appeals to you. It's possible that you want a Commander in Chief like this. I think it could be different. What do you see?

According to Ron Rohlheiser, spirituality how we channel our longings—our eros. It is a powerful force. It is not always "kumbaya," or static or staid. This image is spiritual because it lends insight into DJT's desire....and desire is not always a good thing.

Less than 24 hours later, a very different image emerged as Kate Middleton walked into Centre Court at the Wimbledon Championship. As written in People

As they took their seats in the front row of the Royal Box, the crowd rose to their feet, giving Princess Kate a standing ovation. Princess Charlotte beamed with pride at her mom, who waved with a smile, visibly moved. The applause resonated deeply, marking a rare and emotional public appearance for Kate amid her cancer treatment.

Karwai Tang, the photographer who captured the sweet moment, tells PEOPLE: “When [Kate] usually comes in, she walks down the steps and into her seat. She doesn’t normally stand and wave. But she stood for a while and took it all in. For her to acknowledge it and take in the applause was special."

She could have really extended the applause (see the reel and you will notice this moment is brief). Instead, she chose to take a seat and let the day be about the competition. In this moment, it's hard to see Kate as anything other than a mom, a sister, and a beloved public figure. I think the tears that filled my eyes as I watched this unfold confirm that it too, it spiritual.

Tennis fans like me wondered if she would make it to the tourney. With her husband and son in Germany for the EuroCup finals to support England, Kate, her sister Pippa and daughter Charlotte had a great girls' day out. Would have been awesome for them to be at the women's final as well. With Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova in the stands, tennis royalty was there instead. Here's to next year.

In her own unassuming way, Kate is a powerful force. Her smile, humility and kindness magnify her beauty. What do you see?

The image of Donald Trump doesn't tell the story of the two lives lost on that day. I listened to the New York Times' "The Daily" podcast, The attempted assassination of Donald Trump. to make more sense of it all.

As the synopsis states: "Doug Mills, a photographer for The Times, recounts what it was like to witness the shooting, and Glenn Thrush, who covers gun violence for The Times, discusses the state of the investigation into the man who did it."

Ten minutes into it, I had to hit pause and stop listening. The reality of gun violence in this country is too upsetting and real. Sadly, we know how this story ends. 

Conversely, the image of Kate doesn't tell the story of those who might not return to our public places and our favorite spaces after a cancer diagnosis. What that we could not give them, their family members and caregivers a standing ovation as well. 

The adage "a picture is worth a thousand words" remains true—but that's not where the story ends. Let us give voice to what we see. Explain how an image makes you feel and discuss why that feeling is important. Was do you want to remember? What might be hard to forget? Is it spiritual? Why or why not?

Photo Credits
DJT
KM

The Mystery of Friendship: What Rules Apply?

Wimbledon certainly plays by its own set of rules. First, players are required to wear white; that absence of color is almost more striking than the vibrant colors they typically sport. Second, matches are never played on the first Sunday of the fortnight. It is a day of rest for everyone. And third, the second Tuesday of the tourney is a day for female players only. These traditions, the grass courts and the royal box—filled yesterday by none other than Will and Kate,—are but a few reasons why Wimbledon is the “crown jewel” of the Grand Slams.

Great players from the past can be seen watching matches throughout the tournament. Today’s special guest was the 2011 US Open champion, Rory McIlroy. Considering that he is a good friend of Rafael Nadal’s, I would have thought he would have attended the famous "Round of 16." But, when I realized he was on hand to see the beautiful Maria Sharapova in the glory of her comeback, it’s not hard to imagine otherwise.

McIlroy, has a tennis court in the garden of his home and Nadal plays to a 7-handicap. Their respect for one another is mutual. The two athletes met during the other U.S. Open, at the U.S. National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow, NY last September. Nadal said, “I love golf. I follow almost every week of the tour. I love watching Rory. He has one of the nicest swings in the world, if not the nicest. It's fantastic to watch him.”

The Belfast Telegraph reports, "Nadal is focused on defending his Wimbledon crown and he takes fresh inspiration from the McIlroy story as he aims to stay number one in the world in his chosen sport."

The friendships that form among athletes across sports fascinate me. I remember former tennis pro Brad Gilbert attended hundreds of Warriors games. A Piedmont native, he loved his hometown team, but he also loved his close friend, Chris Mullin. When Mullin went for his 30-day alcohol rehabilitation, Gilbert and John McEnroe were at his side. I suppose these two men understood the pressure and demands of being a professional athlete. They know what is is to live by wins and losses, what your mind and body are capable of doing or not doing.

And how two people become friends is something of a mystery. Why that friendship sustains and grows is a gift. Fueled by common interests, an unspoken attraction, respect and admiration probably have something to do with it.

But it’s not just the friendships between athletes that intrigue me, but among some spiritual heroes, too. Before her conversion, one of Dorothy Day’s favorite bar mates was the famous playwright Eugene O’Neill. According to Brennan Hill of Eight Spiritual Heroes “Gene, as she called him was not a religious man, but did in his own way carry on a serious spiritual search.” Perhaps God was pursuing Dorothy long before she ever knew it. Friends may be God’s instruments in that pursuit.

One such person—both an instrument of God’s grace in friendship and in spiritual heroism was Peter Maurin, the co-founder with Day of The Catholic Worker. Day said “her life really began when she met Maurin in 1932. He was a cross between St. Francis of Assisi and silent movie star Charlie Chaplin." And Maurin had been looking for someone like Day—someone who could implement his vision to promote the social teachings of the church. One could help him reform society and the church. That was none other than Dorothy Day. Because of Peter Maurin, Day’s personal life and her faith life would never be the same. Today, many people believe she is the single most influential American Catholic of the 20th Century.

If there is one way to describe The Catholic Worker and its houses of hospitality, it’s much like that of the Wimbledon tennis tournament. The Worker plays by its own rules. But, what you see take place at both— be it in the stands or in the line at the soup kitchen is fertile ground for nourishment of friendship. What a beautiful mystery.

Photo Credits
Wimbledon Squares
Royals at Wimbledon
Rory McIlroy and Andy Murray
Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin

Kate Middleton & Prince Wills: United in Marriage & Skiing

I can’t tell you how many women have confided in me these very words “I’m secretly obsessed with the royal wedding.” It’s not a secret ladies, a great many of us share your sentiment. Please don’t apologize or feel the need to explain yourself. It’s a fairytale wedding. If you were to script one, this would set the standard.

Beautiful (understatement) and admirable bride-to-be weds long time friend and beau, the handsome and soft-spoken prince. His life story may be one of opulence and privilege but we know it’s colored by tragedy.

And we love Kate and Wills’ story. Classmates at University of St. Andrews in Scotland, they were friends for a year before a romantic relationship developed between them. As much attention as the tabloids put on the of the beginning of their relationship (the Prince saw her in a new light after watching her strut her stuff, dressed in a bikini for a charity fashion show), I think it’s more important to emphasize what has sustained it in their 8 years together. And from what I understand, a common love for winter sports has played a significant role in that.

Take one look at the lovely Miss Kate, and it’s obvious that she is an athlete. She ran cross country and played field hockey in Marlborough College, a boarding school. And for every photo of Prince Wills participating in charity work or flying for the RAF, you will find one of him playing polo or rugby. AskMen.com states "Always the consummate athlete, William continued to play sports in university, representing the Scottish national universities water polo team at a tournament in 2004!"

Together, Kate and Wills love to ride bikes but they most especially enjoy a ski holiday. I contend, even as a non-skier, that no other sport builds and nourishes a relationship in the way that skiing does..

To ski is to engage in a physical challenge while surrounded by God’s beautiful creation. The Pope, himself an avid skier in his younger years, has advocated the mountains as a great place to be, saying, “This is an environment that in a special way makes us feel small, returns us to our true dimension as creatures, makes us capable of asking ourselves about the significance of creation, lifting our eyes to the top, opening ourselves up to the Creator.” What a wonderful setting to develop a loving relationship.

One can spend the entire day skiing, and people who love to ski want to do that alone. For as much active time as there is skiing, there is considerable down time: sitting on the ski lift, making the trek to the ski lodge, amassing and assembling ski gear. You may learn something about someone by the way they ski, but it’s the added dimensions of the sport that reveal someone’s character. Pope Benedict added, “In all sporting activities, a person understands better that their body should not be considered an object ... but that it allows them to express themselves and establish relations with others.”

I see it as a positive, that Kate and Will take great joy in sharing a physical activity that is healthy, challenging and well for all intensive purposes—normal. So much of their lives is not normal. Skiing is a sport of privilege but it’s something millions of people enjoy.

And make no apologies or excuses for it. Millions of us will watch and enjoy the nuptials of the happy young couple. We will enjoy it because of the pomp and circumstance, the ritual and tradition, the pageantry and more. But ultimately, we’ll enjoy it because of the bride and groom—a young couple to unite in love and friendship. I hope they ski for many years to come!

Photo Credits
Loving the slopes
Pope Benedict with Skies
Skiers
Prince William Plays Water Polo