What Does the Film Seven Pounds Have to Do With Our Site SevenPonds?

Every once in awhile, when someone tries to say “SevenPonds,” they accidentally say “Seven Pounds”, referring to the film. Initially, before the film’s release, the producers intentionally put the name out there as a mystery mechanism to build suspense for the film. It fit well, since the film is a bit more on the arty side.  It takes an unusual approach with a plot that slowly unfolds, all the pieces coming together in the end. Unfortunately the Seven Pounds film did not receive the best of reviews; but it’s actually quite a good film.

As you can imagine, I’ve had conversations about how the film has such a similar name to ours many times. I’ve heard all sorts of interpretations about the film’s name, and ours too. Today I will clear up the misconceptions with no less than 7 myths!

Note: for the sake of those who have not seen the film, I have made a point of not spoiling the plot for you.

Myth #1 SevenPonds and SevenPounds are the same. No, SevenPonds and Seven Pounds are not the same. One is our website, and the other is a film. Need I point out the “u” in the name of the film?

Myth #2 The film is using a reference to Shakespeare’s play “The Merchant of Venice”, where Bassionio’s friend Antonio signs for a loan from a lender, with the penalty should he be unable to pay being that he may take a “pound of flesh” from Antonio. There is actually no reference to “seven pounds” of flesh in the play.

Myth #3 The famous psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, who defined the 5 stages of grief, also determined that when a person dies they lose 7 pounds of their weight. No, this is not true!

Myth #4 The weight of a person’s organ (heart, brain, lung, etc) is a pound. Also not true.

Myth #5 The weight of a person’s cremation ashes is a pound. Ashes are lightweight, but not that light. Once again, wrong.

Myth #6 When a person dies they lose a pound, as the soul immediately leaves the body. While there have been many attempts to weight the soul – none met with any success.

Seven Ponds Trail (Photo credit: AnnaEA) A very familiar trail I hiked as a child.

Myth #7 And last but not least – no this website, SevenPonds was not named after the movie Seven Pounds. Our name comes from a real place in Michigan called Seven Ponds lakes. But it’s an interesting and a fortuitous coincidence that we do have the theme of death in common.

Thanks for letting me clear up a few things!

• Read about Seven Ponds lakes where we did take our name here.
• Read a review of the film Seven Pounds starring Will Smith.
• More about the Seven Ponds Nature Center here.