Precious: the review...and saying good bye to my friend.

Last night I went to see the movie Precious.  I feel like everyone should see this film.  It's just as brutally raw and emotional as the book.  This is certainly not a "Hollywood" film, forget the watering down of a persons life.  That's why it has the ability to stick with you in your heart after you leave the theatre, because it brings you face to face with how it is to live in the life of Clareece Precious Jones.  I was pleased with the crowd that came out in support of this amazing work.  The audience was filled with laughter, tears, and at times a deep sympathetic silence while watching Precious bravely fight every battle presented.  It amazes me how much the human soul care deal with in one lifetime.  Mentally this movie is beyond realistic, there were many times I'd hear a line and think "I've heard that before too Precious, I've been there."  Movies that tug on our heart strings and inspire us to be a better person always win me over.  I also love how director Lee Daniels put a primary focus on Precious' way of coping with the pain--escapism, through living a fantasy life; the perfect mother & father, nice "light skinned", great friends, & fame.  All of which Precious didn't have, but she never stopped dreaming and taking herself out of her horrible reality.  I think at times it was her only saving grace.  Sometimes the dream of overcoming our circumstances is all we have to inspire us to give it 100% and press on to the next day.  This movie is a must see!

Lastly I want to say farewell to my late friend James Newberry.  My heart is heavy and filled with sadness to lose such an incredibly gentle soul, with an inspiring zest for life.  This truly saddens my heart beyond anything I can verbalize right now.

We're all Precious

Wow...all I can say is wow. This book is brutally graphic, depressing, & slightly uplifting. At times I was forced mentally to put it down and "take a break" to compose myself before reading on, yet the theme of "we're all precious" manages to breakthrough after all trials and battles of this tragedy of a life. This booked has literally changed my heart and my life. It challenged me to open my mind, soul, and every part of my existence at the acceptance of the unacceptable. I think all who embrace this piece of literature in its unapologetic rawness will be impacted for the better.

That's a brief review I wrote on facebook about this book.  I am writing about the book Push (which can also be found under the title 'Precious') because it stirred something in my spirit.  I've learned when I encounter those moments of influence and impact I need to spread the word.  I can't keep it to myself.  There's a physical pressure I feel all over my body when I'm talking or thinking of this book.  There were a few times while reading where I had to literally put the book down, go in a dark room and just sit.  How many times have I walked passed or looked over Precious?  She's everywhere, all over this world.  Here but not here because to most she's invisible.  Just another statistic.  I don't think I've ever read a piece of literature so utterly raw.  I laughed, cried, laughed a little more...then cried even more while trying to get through this book.  I think it's hard for people in general to accept that this is life for some people, possibly people we know ourselves.  I don't want you to read this book just so you can cry or feel sorry for this person.  I want you to read it in the hopes that it'll open up a part of you that's never been tapped into before.  I'm all for loving mankind and spreading love, but this showed me that I am still but a child on this road of life.  I saw parts of myself in Precious which really caught me off guard.  I never would have thought I'd have ANYTHING in common with an obese, illiterate, sexually abused teenager from Harlem.  Now I see any of us can be Precious Jones, any one of us.

back again

I've been away for awhile...again.  The journey of life is never-ending.  I've been beaten, bruised, broken, & put together again, continuously seeking the path in life that will give me purpose.  A thought that is sticking with me and refusing to let go is to focus on being a better person than I was yesterday.  I can't let my downfalls and heartaches turn my soul cold and bitter.  Forgiveness, love, & pressing on.  My mind is set, I will try harder today to open my heart and mind a little more than I did yesterday.