March 12, 2010
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Two Things
Thing the First
The usual morning ritual and a double take at the thermometer. Almost 60. Yes, the pavement is wet but there was no rain as I walked outside. Our morning walks have been getting longer. Yesterday I saw the crocuses (croci?) peeking through the soil. Jonquils and daffodils too. We are all itching for the real thing, raking leaves off beds, shoveling the last of the snow piles flat so they melt quicker. Dinner brought the taste of fresh asparagus – a spring taste, an Easter taste, a rebirth taste. And this morning brought the scent of skunk. It might not be the same sense memory as the flavor of asparagus lightly steamed, but it is nonetheless, a scent of spring arriving. Interestingly, with a wry smile, I am grateful for both.
Thing the Second
The film Precious arrived in the library yesterday. Run, do not walk, to your local library and beg them to order it. Tell them it is worth the budget dollars. It is. This is one of the most moving, important ensemble pieces I have seen in a very long time. Based on Sapphire’s novel Push, it is a story that deserves more than a 50 word synopsis. Precious is a 16 year old girl, the mother of one child and pregnant with her second, both the children of her father. Raped by her father, abused violently by her mother, Precious manages to hang on to hope and self, to dig deep and hang on. Many of us work with the precious of the world. All of us see them every day. Sometimes we make quick judgements of how they got where they are – young, pregnant, seemingly unmotivated and lazy. This film asks us to look deeper, see differently. It has changed me as only brilliant work can. See it
And so it goes.
Comments (5)
You’re the second person I trust to recommend this, so I will most certainly pick it up today. I’m in need of a good, moving movie.
And my hat’s off to spring as well. As an Arizonan, I’m always a little suspicious of it because horrid heat always follows, but this year we have had such a wet and miserable winter that I’m completely ready for it!
Precious has been on my list. Have you read the book?
I’m glad spring is arriving in your neck of the woods. There was a delicious blanket of fog on the world this morning before the sun cut through right as I was approaching campus. These are the days when it is easiest to be thankful.
60 degrees.. heat wave right!
I JUST added Precious to my Netflix queue last night, and it said “Very Long Wait”….
And then email this morning, it is shipping to me! Arrival soon!
Thank you , movie recommendations (as well as books) are always welcome!
My whole mood has improved with the warming weather. I can handle the last bit of cold. You are an observant walker you.
I do want to see that film and read that book. I will. I haven’t yet because I was worried ti might touch too close to home in some ways. You know, I actually think it will be easier to see the film now after having seen the actress, Sidibe, in interviews. It’ll help to have that other person, the professional actress, who seems healthy and happy in my head waiting for me to remember her if things get too hard in the movie for me.