Precious.

I can't pass up a good stray. Stray cats or stray women, I just can't stand to see a human or an animal suffer. I had a cat named Precious once. She was a stray. When I first saw her, her bones were showing. She was obviously hungry and scared of humans. Most likely she had been abused at one time. I put food outside of my door. Precious stayed at the bottom of the steps and wouldn't come near the food or me as long as the door was open. I shut the door, when I opened the door a few minutes later the food was gone and so was Precious. Every day for a week the young kitty would come up the stairs and eat the food, on the seventh day she let me watch her eat. Then she went away. The next week I left the door open and moved the food inside. Each day I would move the food a little more inside. Precious would come in, look at me, eat the food and leave. If I stood up she would run. After three weeks of the cat and human game I was sitting in my recliner watching a movie, Precious came in and ate. This time she didn't turn around and run. She came over to the recliner and jumped in my lap. Then she stayed on my lap and purred for over an hour. I knew at the moment Precious trusted me, knew she was safe, and that she was loved.

That was the movie PRECIOUS in a nutshell. A sixteen year-old pregnant with her second child, emotionally and physically abused by her mom, sexually abused by her dad (father of both of her children) never felt loved. PRECIOUS based on the book PUSH by Sapphire is directed and produced by Lee Daniels, of MONSTER'S BALL fame, starring newcomer Gabourey Sidibe as Clareece "Precious" Jones and in an academy award winning performance Mo'nique as Mary her Mom. It also has a stunning performance by Paula Patton as Precious's alternative school teacher and a surprising performance by Mariah Carey as Precious's social worker. ( As a side note Oprah is one of the executive producers.)

The movie is well acted. It, however, is heartbreaking and this man cried more than once as Precious was kicked out of school for being pregnant. She was then sent to an alternative school where she meets a great teacher, Ms. Rain, played by Patton. There are two scenes in the move that you would have to be dead not have your heart slapped against a wall. On a field trip to a museum, Ms. Rain, standing next to Precious as she was watching the "I Have A Dream" speech takes Precious by the hand. Precious as Precious says in her narrative says "I've never had anyone hold my hand before." The women has two children yet had never had her hand held or been hugged. How heartbreaking is that? The other scene is in the class room when Precious begins to cry, saying to the class room "I'm not loved, I've never been loved." It is a stunning scene that in her confessing of never being loved Precous finds out that she has people like Ms. Rain, like her fellow students, and like her child that do love her.

If you go to the movie be prepared for some really rough scenes as you watch the way Mary treats her daughter. Some really bad treatment of an infant not even a month old. But also be prepared for an inspiring story, some great music, and some superb acting.

Five stars. One For The Music. One each for Ms. Patton, Monique, and Gabby. A half of star for the cinematography and a half of star for Mariah.

I am pretty sure all of us here have always felt loved by our parents. Sure maybe there were some moments where we doubted that love but then something would happen to confirm the unconditional love they had for us. Can you remember moments where you didn't feel loved? Can you remember moments where your love was confirmed?